PM Nawaz demands end to Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: The joint session of parliament was held on Wednesday where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressed those in attendance. 

The prime minister in his address said that Burhan Wani’s martyrdom brought Kashmir to the turning point, adding that the valley is boiling like a volcano.

He demanded that Indian atrocities and violation of human rights should end in Kashmir. Prime Minister Nawaz also called for putting an end to the ongoing curfew in the Occupied territory.

The prime minister said that steps should be taken for withdrawal of Indian troops from IoK and political prisoners should be released.

"Pakistan is against war and wants durable peace in the region," said the prime minister.

He said that Pakistan wants to resolves all issues through negotiations, adding that the entire nation is united for the country’s defense.

“Our desire for peace should be taken as a sovereign nation’s wish,” said the premier.

PM Sharif without naming Narendra Modi referred to his earlier statements, saying those who talk of ending poverty “should know that this competition is not possible with fire and blood”. 

"Peace and prosperity can't bloom on farms sown with seeds of gunpowder," the premier said, asking the Modi to first end difference between words and actions.

“They can target through pellets eyes of unarmed people, but cannot blind the entire history and humanity,” PM said hitting out at India.

No compromise on Kashmir: Shah

Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah while commending the government for calling the joint session on opposition's demand said that no compromise could be made on Kashmir.

Speaking at the floor of the House, he said the government should have continuously pressed the world for the resolution of Kashmir dispute, adding that the resolution adopted in the past was not implemented.

Video: Khursheed Shah says no compromise would be made on Kashmir

"A number of international issues have been resolved, why not the Kashmir dispute," Shah questioned, noting the Pakistan and India have gone to fight wars over the disputed territory.

He said the neighbouring arch-rival was not only waging attacks at the border, but was also striving to alienate Pakistan diplomatically.

Kashmir issue not presented adequately: Fazl

Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said we failed to present the Kashmir issue adequately. He said India was constantly trying to avoid talks on the longstanding dispute, while its forces are continuing to massacre innocent Kashmiri people.

Video: We failed to present Kashmir issue adequately, says Fazl

Speaking about continued Indian aggression, he said Pakistan would be bound to use its nukes if it came to its survival, hoping that tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours would not escalate to that level.

We don't play politics on Kashmir: Bilawal

In an apparent hit at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, "We do not play politics on Kashmir policy".

Video: Bilawal says politics is not like cricket 

"Some of our friends did not do the right thing by boycotting the session," he added.

The PPP chairman said the prime minister had summoned an All Parties Conference (APC) on Kashmir on the demand of Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah. "The premier was also given some suggestions at the meeting."

"The prime minister was told that we all want national unity on Kashmir," said Bilawal, adding that the enemy has his eyes on our weaknesses.

Besides the reinstatement of the National Security Committee, the PPP chairman advised the PM to appoint a permanent foreign minister, who could effectively run foreign and diplomatic affairs.

Joint session of Parliament 

The joint session of parliament was aimed at expressing resolve to defend sovereignty and integrity of the country at all costs. The session was summoned to discuss unprovoked aggression of Indian security forces across the Line of Control (LoC) and deteriorating situation in Occupied Kashmir.

Earlier, PTI announced that it would boycott Wednesday's joint parliamentary session on the Kashmir issue, with party chairman Imran Khan saying his party would no longer endorse this parliament.

"We fully back Kashmiris' right to self-determination and sent Shah Mehmood Qureshi to yesterday's meeting of the parliamentary parties' heads," said Imran, questioning what else was left there for discussion in the joint session of the parliament.

He said that Nawaz Sharif had lost the moral authority to stay as the prime minister and that Tehreek-e-Insaf would no longer endorse this parliament.

However, this move from the opposition party met with severe criticism from political circles.