Pakistan parliament passes resolution extending solidarity with Kashmiris

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's parliament today passed a unanimous resolution extending solidarity with the Kashmiris and rejecting as "ridiculous" the Indian stand that Kashmir is an integral part of India.

The resolution moved by Minister for Kashmir Affair Barjees Tahir in the National Assembly "extended political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris in the just struggle for their right to self-determination in lines with the UN resolutions," Radio Pakistan reported.

"The resolution rejected the ridiculous Indian claim that Kashmir is an integral part of India as it itself took the issue to the UN as a dispute between the two sovereign states," it said.

It condemned the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir and deplored continuous silence of the international community on the issue.

The resolution came a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described Kashmir issue as the "unfinished agenda of partition" and the oldest disputes in the UN Security Council.

"Jammu & Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India. The dream of peace and prosperity of the people of this region will remain elusive without resolving this dispute in accordance with the UNSC resolutions," Sharif said yesterday on the occasion of 'Kashmir Solidarity Day'.

The resolution called upon the UN Security Council to take concrete steps for implementation of its resolutions for granting right to self-determination to the Kashmiris.

It called upon the international community to take notice of the gravity of the situation and urge India to respect human rights and right to self-determination.

The resolution called upon the UN Military Observer Group in Pakistan and India to fulfill its mandated task.