A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is underway in Islamabad to discuss ongoing tension across the Line of Control (LoC).
PM Nawaz convened the meeting to formulate a unanimous response on occupied Kashmir and the situation along the LoC, Radio Pakistanreported.
Briefing those present, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary said, “India is constantly violating fundamental human rights of Kashmiris.” “An escalation in the situation was witnessed following the killing of separatist leader Burhan Wani by Indian forces [on July 8],” he added.
PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party fully supported the premier on Pakistan’s Kashmir cause. “Only a united Pakistan can face Indian aggression and achieve the objectives of national security,” he said. Terming the situation a “turning point in Indo-Pak relations,” Bilawal said there was no military solution to the Kashmir dispute.
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Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his party had put aside all differences to become a part of today’s meeting. “We want to convey this message to India and the entire world that we stand with Kashmiris,” he said. Qureshi observed that the India was resorting to aggression, not realising that there was no armed solution to the issue.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq praised the premier on holding the meeting at the crucial juncture and said that the party extended full support to the government, the valiant armed forces and the people of the country. “Today, a unified stance for Pakistan and Kashmir should be formulated in the national interest,” he remarked.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman urged the PM to raise Indian atrocities internationally. “The stance of parliamentary leaders on Kashmir a reflection of sentiments of Pakistani people,” Rehman said. He stressed the need for unity in the national ranks.
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All but two political groups have been invited to the meeting. Apart from parliamentary leaders of all parties, their heads were also invited to the important meet-up.
However, the AML and APML were deliberately left out. Surprising as even political parties with one-member representation in parliament were also invited to the meeting.
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Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP leader Sherry Rehman, MQM-Pakistan’s Farooq Sattar and PTI leader Shireen Mazari were among those present on the occasion.
On July 15, a special meeting of the cabinet decided to convene a joint session of parliament on the IoK situation. The plan was quietly shelved due to growing tensions between the government and the Opposition. However, the recent uptick in hostilities with India prompted calls from political parties for a joint session of parliament. “Now, the onus is on the Opposition which has called for convening the parliamentary session,” a senior PML-N leader said.
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PTI chairman Imran Khan came down hard on the government for not inviting AML chief Sheikh Rashid to the parliamentary huddle. “It reflects a petty and intolerant mindset,” he wrote on Twitter.
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