Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution impressing upon the state government to urge the Centre to resume the process of Indo-Pak dialogue to ensure peace and stability in the sub-continent.
“The House resolves that the state government must urge the Union government to resume process of Indo-Pak dialogue to ensure peace and stability in the sub-continent in general and state of Jammu and Kashmir in particular,” the resolution said.
The resolution, moved by Chairman of Legislative Council Amrit Malhotra and supported by National Conference, Congress and PDP members, also resolved that the state government should urge the Centre to take effective steps for prevention of firing on Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) and take measures for rehabilitating the victims.
An amendment moved by the lone National Panthers Party (NPP) legislator Syed Rafiq Shah was dropped as he staged a walk-out from the House over not allowing of discussion on the resolution.
“The House unanimously resolves that the state government shall urge the Union government to take effective steps for prevention of LoC and IB firing which has caused huge loss of life and property in the affected areas,” the resolution said.
Two other amendments were withdrawn after members of ruling national Conference (NC) and Opposition Peoples Democratic party (PDP) said they defeated the spirit of the resolution.
Speaking in support of the resolution, NC’s Khalid Najeeb Suharwardi said, “Jammu and Kashmir seems to be a football. Sometimes India plays with it and sometimes Pakistan.
“There is a match-fixing between the two nations and this firing and no to talks is part of that. Today Pakistan is helping India and tomorrow India would reciprocate.”
PDP’s Naeem Akhtar alleged that the dialogue has become a “tug of war” between BJP and Congress, which “use the issue for their own electoral benefits.”
“PDP thinks that Kashmiris must be seen as the primary stakeholders to peace and we are not ready for war,” Mr. Akhtar said.
B.R. Kundal from Congress said the democratic institutions in Pakistan should be supported for the stability in the region.
“The message from the House should be that democratic institutions and people in Pakistan, and not the military which is controlled by ISI (Pakistan’s spy agency), should be supported,” he said.
The chairman put the resolution to vote and it was passed unanimously.
The House also recommended that the state government should take immediate steps for relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the firing on LoC and IB.
“The House also recommends that the state government should take immediate steps for relief and rehabilitation of the victims of LoC and IB firing and shall provide all required help and facilities to them in this regard,” the resolution said.
