Islamabad, August 31, 2016: The Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has sent letters to the Speakers of 196 Parliaments to highlight the rampant, unending and gross human rights abuse in Indian Occupied Kashmir and to garner diplomatic and political support for the freedom struggle of Kashmiri people. He said that Kashmir issue is the core priority of Pakistan’s Parliament and there is a unanimous consensus across the political parties in the Parliament. He was speaking to the President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. Masood Khan who called on him at Parliament House, Islamabad on Wednesday. 

He said that Kashmir issue is the oldest dispute awaiting in the UN Security Council agenda. He remarked that the forceful occupation of Kashmir was against the modern norms of nation state and people’s basic right to self-determination - the right to form government as per people’s aspirations free from foreign interference. He remarked that brutality, gross human rights abuse and oppression will never suppress the aspiration for freedom and right to self-determination. He said that Pakistan would continue to extend its unwavering moral, political and diplomatic support to the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their unalienable right of self-determination, as enshrined in the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions. He highlighted that Pakistan’s support for Kashmir cause has received a new impetus during the tenure of the current government. Appreciating the decision of the Prime Minister to send Parliamentarians as envoys to garner diplomatic support for Kashmir cause, he remarked that Parliamentary diplomacy will awaken the conscience of the international community to take notice of barbarity and oppression of the Kashmiri people by world’s so called largest democracy.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq outlined that the National Assembly of Pakistan has called an International Conference on Kashmir issue on 13-14th October 2016 in Islamabad to highlight the human rights abuse in Kashmir and generate international support for freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people. He added that the conference will be attended by Members of Parliaments, Civil Society, Media and intellectuals from across the world. He outlined that peace in the region is unthinkable when India continued to deny Kashmir’s their inherent right to self-determination and when their peaceful demonstrations were met with Indian high-handedness. He added that ‘oppression on unarmed protestors cannot kill their aspiration for freedom and a peaceful future’.

Referring to Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir, the Speaker remarked that he pulled back Pakistan from hosting 61stCommonwealth Parliamentary Conference as its chosen President when India agitated for extending invitation to Assembly of Indian Occupied Kashmir. He added that the Parliament of Pakistan could not issue an invitation to the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir Assembly to attend the Conference, as it would have been in violation of the UNSC Resolutions. The Speaker highlighted that Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir was more important than hosting Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq outlined that Kashmir issue is highlighted in every meeting of Parliamentary Friendship Groups and visits of Parliamentary delegations.

The President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Mr. Masood Khan highly appreciated the endeavors of the Parliament of Pakistan in taking up the Kashmir issue at various bilateral and multilateral forums. He added that the role of Parliamentary diplomacy is central to supporting the Kashmir cause. He expressed confidence in efforts of the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to prioritize Kashmir issue at international forums.