MIRPUR (AJK)-The Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Friday called upon the International community to play their key role for the implementation of the UN resolution passed on January 5 1949 supporting the Kashmir's right to self-determination.
The AJK Assembly met on Friday with Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir in the chair. The Assembly unanimously passed the following resolution:
The Azad Jammu & Kashmir Assembly strongly condemns United States of America's President Donal Trump's decision to move US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Legislative Assembly recognises such action against UN Resolutions and that would nullify plans for future peaceful negotiations. This Assembly has given it firm standing position that this statement is directly against International Laws and legal standards and beliefs of all, especially including 180 UN Security Council resolution 478, which declares Israel's announcement of Jerusalem as its capita null and void.
Women participation has been an undeniable element of Kashmir's resistance movement. The Courageous women of Kashmir stood upright with men in every phase of the struggle whether it is political or armed. Breaking rigid socio-cultural constructs, they came out of their houses and eventually, their number rose to thousands . Mean while, the women Hurriat leaders organised separate programmes.
Women have been at the receiving end of the occupation as direct and indirect victims of violence by the Indian forces. Women have lost their loved ones, husbands, brothers and sons, some of whom were killed and some never returned. This gave rise to a new sub-category among women, called half widows, women living in the hope of knowing whether their husbands are alive or dead. Moreover, rapes have been used by the Indian armed forces against Kashmiri women and the figures are alarming, even though these cases have been documented by international investigating agencies such as Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights, the majority of such cases continue to remain unreported.
Women such as Asiya Andrabi and Anjum Zamarud Habib were arrested and tortured for a number of times by occupied forces. Other women such as Parveena Ahanger, who founded Association of Parents of Disappeared People (APDP),after her son was taken by the Indian armed forces, never return, have documented such cases and hold peaceful protests on a monthly basis. This parliament pays great tribute to all these Kashmiri women for their struggle and courage they showed in the cause of freedom struggle.
Women participation in politics has always played a great role in the political stage since the reform of Pakistan in 1947 where Fatimah Jinnah, sister of the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had an active participation in the political sphere and that had been an inspiration to all women in Pakistan.
Despite this rather mixed track, record on the promotion of women's political empowerment, particularly with regard to women, roles in political parties. Pakistan has been a trend-setter for other Muslim countries when it comes to providing a positive example for women's political participation.
Benazir Bhutto, for instance, was the first ever woman prime minister of a Muslim country in 1988. Similarly, Fahmida Mirza was the first woman speaker of the National Assembly in the Muslim world. In addition to this, around 100 women members entered the upper and lower houses of the Pakistani National Assembly. Pakistan Muslim League stands for women empowerment and Mryam Nawaz is role model of women empowerment an d is great inspiration for today's women who want to carry on political corridor.
Women of AJK played important role in politics, they constitute nearly half of the total population of the country. Their contribution through their triple roles of productive reproductive and community management is vital to the development of the economy and society .
To give chance in active participation in the decision making processes and determining how to resources be utilise and setting national priorities will not only improve the lot of women, it will also deepen democracy and strengthen the process of development in the country. Women's equal participation in the politics is their basic right. And thus increasing women seats in the assembly is the need of time.