Staff Reporter
The visiting parliamentarians from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) on Thursday announced establishment of ASEAN Kashmir Advocacy Group for highlighting the issue at international level.
In a meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the 18-member delegation comprising ASEAN parliamentarians led by Haji Mohammad Azmi Hamid, President of Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization (MAPIM), condemned the Indian oppression against Kashmiris and violation of their human rights and identity.
The ASEAN Parliamentary delegation is on a four-day visit to Pakistan since Tuesday.
The delegation comprises parliamentarians and civil society members from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia and Thailand.
President Dr Arif Alvi informed the ASEAN MPs that the political map recently issued by Indian Home Ministry incorrectly showed Jammu and Kashmir region and parts of Gilgit Baltistan as its territory, which was in complete violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
The president stressed that Pakistan rejected the “incorrect, legally untenable and void” maps, which were incompatible with the United Nations’ maps.
President Alvi said India was blatantly violating the human rights of the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K) through its illegal clampdown since 5th August, which led to a humanitarian crisis marked by shortage of food and lifesaving medicines and communication blackout.
He said Pakistan consistently raised the issue of increased human rights violations by India in IoJ&K at all international fora.
He stressed that international community had the responsibility to take urgent steps to address this unacceptable situation in IoJ&K.
President MAPIM termed the Indian actions of August 5 and November 2 highly condemnable and assured that ASEAN countries were fully supportive of highlighting Indian human rights violations before the world.
He said various plans of action had been devised, under which media from ASEAN countries would visit to assess the human rights situation in IoJ&K.
Additionally, the platform of mosques across ASEAN countries would be utilized to highlight and disseminate information about the Indian brutalities in IoJ&K, he added.
The visit has been arranged by Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization (MAPIM) for evaluation of situation in the region after Indian government’s recent unilateral and illegal decision to change the status of IoJ&K.
The delegation will also hold meetings with the leadership and people of Kashmir.
