Pakistan: Opposition upset over Nawaz Sharif's Kashmir special envoys

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's move to nominate 22 MPs as special envoys to highlight the Kashmir issue has come under attack over the non-inclusion of opposition leaders.

The Kashmir issue can be raised globally in a befitting manner only with the opposition's backing, the Daily Times quoted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Umar and Taj Haider of the Pakistan People's Party as saying.

Pakistan on Saturday decided to step up its diplomatic lobbying on Kashmir, naming the 22 MPs to go as special envoys to various countries to apprise them about the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

Umar said most of the nominated MPs did not even attend parliamentary debates and questioned how could they highlight the Kashmir cause.

"Nawaz Sharif is not ready to discuss Kashmir with (his Indian counterpart) Narendra Modi," said Umar.

Haider said a majority of the special envoys belonged to treasury benches, the Daily Times reported. He said the government should have included opposition leaders of both houses of the parliament in the group.