Pakistan’s political leadership united over Kashmir issue

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s political leadership on Monday put forward a united front on the issue of Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of parliamentary leaders to discuss the security situation with a special focus on the situation arising out of Indian troops' unprovoked firing at the Line of Control (LoC) and the Indian army atrocities being committed in Occupied Kashmir.

Addressing the session the Prime Minister said the session was very important because a unified message from the political leadership of Pakistan will be sent out, sources said.

He said that after Burhan Wani's death the Kashmir issue had become a flash point. He added that the United Nations should take up Kashmir as an issue which threatens peace in the region, sources added. 

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry briefed the session and said that Kashmiri separatist leader Burhan Wani consolidated the movement for freedom on the domestic front. "His death drew strong reaction by the Kashmiris, a reaction which dumbfounded the Indian government," he said.

Main points of joint statement 

• Support for Kashmiri people’s right to self determination
• Killing of innocent Kashmiris is a grave human rights violation
• Indian occupation forces have killed over 110 innocent civilians in Kashmir
• Unprovoked Indian aggression and repeated ceaserfire violations pose a threat to regional peace and security
• Indian claims that Kashmir is an integral part is rejected
• Indian interference in Balochistan is codnemned 
• Any Indian attempts to revoke Indus Water Treaty will be taken as act of aggression
• Indian claims of carrying out ‘surgical strikes’ across the LoC are rejected
• Pakistan will continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to people of Indian Occupied Kashmir

Read: Full text of joint statement  

Decision to reinstate National Security Committee

The meeting decided to revive the National Security Committee to effectively deal with the security issues facing the country.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will preside over a session of committee on Tuesday, which would be attended by the ministers of Defence, Interior, Finance and Information, chief ministers of all four provinces.

The session will also be attended by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Rashad Mahmood and the chiefs of the armed forces.

Pakistan cannot compromise on Kashmir: Bilawal 

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said it was a moment of great pride for the nation that all political parties were united on the Kashmir issue. Speaking to reporters, Bilawal said there could be no compromise on the Kashmir issue. “Kashmir does not have a military solution,” Bilawal said.

In reference to political unity on the issue, Bilawal said “As far as Kashmir is concerned, we have found mutual ground.”

According to Bilawal, he told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that this was a turning point and he was certain that today was the first step.  “Our stance will be weakened if we do not send a united message to India.”

The PPP chairman said he had been assured by the prime minister that those issues which were not included in today’s joint statement would also be addressed.

He said that the PPP leadership was against all non-state actors and did not differentiate between the good and the bad Taliban.

Earlier, in the meeting the PPP chairman said his party would stand shoulder to shoulder with the government on the issue of Kashmir and Indian aggression.

Watch: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari speaks on Karachi 

Despite differences, PTI supports government on Kashmir issue: Shah Mehmood 

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi who was representing chairman Imran Khan at the meeting said that his party had several differences with the government yet he chose to attend the meeting. "We are with the government on the Kashmir issue. The present government tried very hard to improve relations with India. Unfortunately India did not respond with the same vigour."

He hailed PM's speech in the UN adding that Pakistan had raised the Kashmir issue in front of leaders from 11 countries.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Qureshi said a message needs to be sent to the global community that the entire nation would be united behind the armed forces if there is any aggression against Pakistan’s security.

Video: Shah Mehmood Qureshi speaks to media

Qureshi said it was decided in the meeting that any attempt by India to block Pakistan’s water would be considered aggression. The meeting also reiterated that the issue in Kashmir cannot be tied to Balochistan.

The PTI leader added that the issue of Panama scandal was also raised during the meeting.

We wanted an APC on Kashmir: MQM Pakistan

Speaking to the media, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan chairman Farooq Sattar said that his party wanted an All Parties Conference on the Kashmir issue.

He said that India should rethink before attack Pakistan, because Pakistan is ready to give it a befitting reply.

Earlier Sattar shook hands with the Prime Minister and said he was representing MQM Pakistan as "a patriotic Pakistani", sources said.

Video: Farooq Sattar speaks to media 

Roadmap to secure freedom for Kashmiris needed: JI

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Siraj-ul-Haq said a roadmap and state policy was required for Kashmir’s freedom. Haq said the government still had time to come up with a state policy.

Praising Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s UNGA address, Haq said the arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav should also have been raised.

According to Haq the issue of Kashmir’s freedom was a real test of the government’s capabilities.

Video: Siraj-ul-Haq on Kashmir issue 

JUI-F supports Govt stance on Kashmir

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the prime minister had done the right thing by calling an All Parties Conference at this critical point the country had found itself in.

"The human rights violation in Kashmir should be highlighted on diplomatic and political fronts," he said.

PM welcomes parliamentary party leaders 

Earlier, the Prime Minister shook hands with party leaders who reached the venue to attend the meeting. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khwaja Asif accompanied the premier.

Sherry Rehman, Qamar Zaman, Khursheed Shah, Naveed Qamar from Pakistan People's Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Maulana Fazlur Rehman from Jamiat Ulema Islami and Farooq Sattar from Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan are also in attendance.

After blaming Pakistan without any evidence for the Uri attacks, India has violated the ceasefire agreement at the Line of Control (LoC). In one act of Indian aggression, two Pakistani soldiers were martyred in what India claimed was a ‘surgical strike’. Pakistan dismissed this claim and Indian has not provided any evidence to substantiate it.

Pakistan has also been raising the issue of Indian army atrocities in occupied Kashmir where since July over 115 Kashmiris have been martyred. The situation deteriorated in Kashmir following the death of separatist leader Burhan Wani by Indian forces.

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