Nawaz Sharif holds all-party meet: Kashmir unrest, violence across LoC tops agenda

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday chaired a special meeting of all parliamentary leaders to evolve a united stand and response in the wake of surgical strikes by India on terror launching pads across the LoC. Invitations were sent to to the heads of all parties except Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who is the sole member of his Awami Muslim League in the National Assembly, ANI reported. [caption id=“attachment_3031766” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Pakistan Prime Minitser Nawaz Sharif. Reuters[/caption] The Dawn reported that the meeting has been called to send a “clear message to the outside world” regarding what the government feels is continued Indian aggression along the LoC as well as Indian atrocities in held Kashmir. Further, they wanted to let the world know that their nation stands united when it comes to defence and integrity of Pakistan. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed the members about the latest aggression by the Indian side along the LoC. He also spoke about the human rights violations in Kashmir. In the meeting, the political leaders decided to send delegations to other countries to highlight Indian atrocities in the volatile state. Pakistan has been extremely proactive in raising this issue and showing solidarity with the people of Kashmir while also granting the status of “martyr” to Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. During his address at the United Nations General Assembly, Sharif focused extensively on Kashmir and expressed concern over excessive use of force by the Indian military. “ The men, women and children come out to demand freedom every day and Pakistan stands with the people of Kashmir,” Sharif had said at the 71st UN General Assembly session in New York. The all-party members also wanted the United Nations Commission of Human Rights to be made aware of the atrocities, according to The Dawn. Chaudhry reiterated Pakistan and Sharif’s stand on Kashmir during the meeting and said, “Kashmir has become a flashpoint issue.” However, he also said that Pakistan wants to discuss peace, Kashmir and other bilateral issues with India. Soon after India claimed that it had carried out the surgical strikes, Sharif said that Pakistan’s resolve to maintain peace remained strong. He also said that Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of the partition. As has been Pakistan’s stance on the surgical strikes by the Indian Army along the LoC, Chaudhry denied the Indian claim again  at the meeting and dismissed allegations against Pakistan regarding the attack on the Uri base camp as ‘baseless’. Pakistan has repeatedly denied that India carried out the surgical strikes. It had dismissed as “fabrication of truth” India’s claim and termed it as a “quest” by India to create media hype by rebranding cross-border fire as the surgical strike, PTI reported. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, “Despite our differences with the government on multiple issues, we are with you, Prime Minister, on the Kashmir issue and Indian aggression along LoC.” “We have to speak with one voice,” The Dawn quoted Shah Mehmood Qureshi as saying. With inputs from PTI, IANS.