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| Parliament House, Islamabad [PHOTO: Usman Ghani/CC BY-SA 3.0] |
Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry accused India of trying to change the demographic mix of Kashmir by settling non-Kashmiris in the Valley. He levelled the charge during a briefing for ambassadors of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries on the status of the Kashmir issue and "the plight of the Kashmiri Muslims".
Chaudhry also said that "no elections in Kashmir could be a substitute to the plebiscite under the auspices of the UN."
Parliament passed the resolution unanimously emphasising that Pakistan will continue with its political, moral and diplomatic support for Kashmiri people.
The passed resolution also state that the lingering dispute should be resolved through a "fair and transparent plebiscite."
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Chairman of Kashmir Committee of the Parliament, moved the resolution ahead of 'Kashmir Solidarity Day' being observed in Pakistan on Thursday (February 05).
The resolution called upon the Indian government to allow human rights organisations to visit the Kashmir Valley.
The resolution said the Kashmir dispute is a centrepiece in Indo-Pak dialogue and its resolution is imperative for durable peace and stability in the region.
Advisor to the Pakistani Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan desired a meaningful and resulted oriented dialogue with India, however, the dialogue process minus the Kashmir issue would not be acceptable.
The foreign secretary emphasised that OIC, a body of 57 countries with the world’s one-fifth population, could influence India to fulfill its “obligations” under UN resolutions and de-militarise Kashmir.
The Kashmir conflict is a major territorial dispute between India and Pakistan that dates back prior to independence. While regular peace talks have occurred since 2010, a diplomatic solution has not been reached.