NA passes resolution denouncing BJP’s demographic engineering in IOK

The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution to denounce the latest Indian attempt at demographic engineering in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK) through the ‘delimitation commission’ constituted in March 2020.

The resolution moved by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged India to immediately halt and reverse unilateral and all illegal actions it had taken in IOK and fulfill its obligations under the relevant UNSC resolutions.

The NA recalled the resolution unanimously passed by the Parliament of Pakistan on August 6, 2019, which rejected India’s “illegal, unilateral, reckless, and coercive actions aimed at altering the internationally recognised disputed status of IOK.”

The assembly expressed gave concern over the series of illegal measures taken by the Indian occupation forces to change the demographics of the territory, in violation of international law, “particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention and relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC),” the draft read.

The House rejected categorically the report of the commission, which “seeks to convert the Muslim majority region into a minority, and further marginalise, disenfranchise and disempower the Kashmiri population of IOK.”

The NA declared that no facade of ‘elections’ based on a sham ‘delimitation’ exercise could substitute the legitimacy and indispensability of a free and impartial plebiscite.

The NA furthered that the Kashmiri people must be enabled to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

Legislators demanded that India honours and fulfills its obligations under international law, and must refrain from illegally changing the demographics of the region.

The assembly urged the Indian government to end its “oppression and widespread violations of human rights,” and called upon the international community to “ensure accountability of India’s grave and persistent violations of human rights and war crimes.”

Pakistan reiterated its “unflinching commitment and solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters” and reaffirmed that the state will “continue to extend all possible support in their just struggle for freedom and self-determination.”

The NA requests the government to continue to “expose and counter Indian moves before the international community and highlight the forceful project that Kashmir cause at all bilateral and multilateral fora, including the UN and the OIC [Organisation of Islamic Cooperation].”

Bilawal had earlier asked the UNSC to take immediate cognizance of the grave implications of the controversial illegal delimitation of IOK, describing it as India’s sinister ploy to reduce the representation of Muslims.

Bilawal, in the letter, had apprised them, in particular, of India’s sinister ploy of reducing the representation of Muslims through the unlawful ‘delimitation’ exercise.

He had underscored that these illegal measures constituted a flagrant violation of international law, including the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and were ipso facto illegal and null and void.

He had also highlighted India’s gross, systematic and widespread human rights violations in the IOK and drew particular attention to the ongoing Indian efforts to further marginalise, disempower and divide the beleaguered Kashmiri population.

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