ISLAMABAD - The lawmakers from treasury and opposition benches in National Assembly on Wednesday condemned unprovoked Indian firing and shelling along the Working Boundary and LoC, saying Pakistan’s desire for peace in the region should not be taken as its weakness.
Some lawmakers from both sides of the aisle urged the need for practical steps to resolve Kashmir issue and giving ‘matching response’ on Indian aggression in future. PML-N lawmaker Awais Leghari, speaking on a motion on the issue, said Pakistan’s desire for peace in the region should not be mistaken as a manifestation of weakness.
“We are in favour of peace but this should not be considered as our weakness,” he said, adding that the neutral forum of UN should inspect the ground situation. He pointed out that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif even attended Indian PM’s oath taking ceremony despite criticism from some quarters.
PPP’s lawmaker Nafeesa Shah said government should clear its stance on the floor of the house about its response to Indian aggression. “Only writing a letter to Ban Ki-moon will not serve the purpose,” she said referring to Babri Masjid demolition in India.
PML-N lawmaker Marvi Memon, apparently responding to an opposition lawmaker, said that Pakistan has given an appropriate response to India. “We have showed our verbal aggression... We know its Modi’s India... What will be the utility of resolution if we adopt the same tone,” she said, adding Pakistan wanted amicable resolution of the issue. She suggested the lawmakers to gather in the AJK on October 27 (marked by Kashmiris as Black Day) to show their unity to the world.
JI lawmaker Ayesha Syed said the recent floods proved more devastating due to India’s water terrorism as it released floodwater at the most inappropriate time. She was of the view that mere passing resolutions would not serve the purpose. “There is a need to resolve Kashmir issue,” she added. JUI-F legislator Aasia Naz Tanoli said the issue needed to be resolved through ‘dialogue with dignity’. There is need of a viable strategy to handle this aggression.
Treasury lawmaker Major (r) Tahir Iqbal said India was upset over presentation of Kashmir case by PM Nawaz Sharif at the UN General Assembly. “India, after the launch of operation Zarb-e-Azab, has seen that Pakistan wants to root out the menace of terrorism,” he added.
Shazia Marri from PPP said that India should keep in mind that the issue could be resolved only with the willingness of both parties. “We are a nuclear country and must be treated with equal respect... Diplomacy should be carried out with dignity... this is a time to respond as we are also nuclear country,” she said, adding that she did not mean to issue any threat.
Taking advantage of prime minister’s presence in the House, PPP lawmaker said why this government is not appointing a fulltime foreign minister. She also criticised PM Nawaz Sharif for not taking opposition into confidence on important matters.
MQM’s lawmaker Asif Hasnain asked Sindh and federal government to look into the matter about threats to MQM’s senior members. “If any untoward incident happened then nobody would be able to control the reaction,” he added.