Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) parliamentarians Tuesday termed Kashmir dispute as a global issue and assured to raise the predicament of Kashmiris at international and regional forums till its resolution.They also condemned the Indian oppression against innocent Kashmiris for depriving their human rights and identity.
A delegation comprising members of parliament from ASEAN region, led by DatoAzmi Abdul Hamid, President of MajlisPerundingan Islam Malaysia (MAPIM), met Speaker AsadQaiserat the Parliament House.
The membersof the parliaments of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Singapore are currently visiting Pakistan to get insight of the Kashmir issue.
Speaker AsadQaiser while apprising the delegation about the present state in Indian-held Kashmir said the Kashmiri people are subjected to worst lockdown in global history, depriving them of their fundamental rights.The 93-day-long lockdown has turned the valley into a jail, aggravating their miseries by blocking communication and supply of food items and medicines, said a press release.
The speaker said thousands of youth have been subjected to abduction, torture and custodial killings besides indiscriminate use of arms on innocent women and children.He asked the parliamentarians to propagate the Kashmir issue in true perspective in their countries and Parliaments for putting diplomatic pressure on India to resolve the issue as per its international commitments and aspiration of people of the valley.
Head of the delegation Dato Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid said that ASEAN nations strongly support the right of self-determination for Kashmiris which has been constantly been denied by India.The manner India is propagating the Kashmir issue is a sheer defiance of its international commitments, he said, and added that an ASEAN Kashmir Advocacy Group is being established for highlighting the Kashmir issue in its true perspective.
He condemned the Indian forces for obstructing Kashmiris to perform their religious obligations. He said that the delegation will visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Line of Control to express solidarity with Kashmiri people.He along with his other fellow parliamentarians will meet speakers of ASEAN countries and apprise them about the Kashmir issue.
Earlier, both the sides expressed their satisfaction on the existing bilateral diplomatic and trade relations between Pakistan and ASEAN Region.They expressed the need to further enhancing cooperation between the region in diverse sectors. The speaker said that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a gamechanger for the region and enhancing inter-regional connectivity could extend its benefits to the ASEAN region.
DatoAzmi Abdul Hamid said that Pakistan is an important country of the region and its efforts for peace and development were commendable.He said that ASEAN area with a six hundred million population could become a huge trading partner of Pakistan.
The visit of ASEAN parliamentarians to Pakistan will afford an opportunity to create strong awareness about the Kashmir issue in ASEAN countries and to gain support to highlight ongoing atrocities by Indian security forces against innocent Kashmiris at the regional and international forums.
