DNA
Islamabad, July 15, 2020: Parliamentary leader of the PPP in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman in her Senate speech said, “Kashmir’s issue has become more important than ever especially now when Modi’s Nazi government is inflicting new atrocities against the Kashmiris after August 5, 2020. But it is shocking that Pakistan did not oppose India’s non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council? Pakistan should have started lobbying a year ago. Even then we were all discussing what all we could do to help Kashmir and warned the federal government that this is the time to change our policy but no heed was paid to us. The government should have taken a stand for Kashmir by opposing India’s seat”.
Commenting on the new domicile rule in India, Senator Rehman said that, “Under the Nazi government of Modi, the new domicile law allows Indian citizens who have lived in Jammu and Kashmir for 15 years to claim a “domicile certificate” for residency benefits. Up to 25,000 people have been granted domicile certificates raising fears of the beginning of demographic change in Kashmir. There is Nazi government there and here we have the Niazi government which did not even oppose India’s seat”.
“Does this house not agree that India has gone far ahead of any conventions, laws, moral obligation as a nation? Of course, it has. So, why were we doing regular, conventional diplomacy when this house has repeatedly requested and advised this government in our collective best interests and in the best interests of Kashmir to not do that?”, questioned the Senator.
“You had a year in which you could have tried your utmost best. You had support of many others like Turkey and Malaysia. No extra teams were required, the people there were enough but still you did not oppose India’s seat. When Kashmir is the cornerstone of your foreign policy then why did you not lobby for one year to make sure this is not what it is or give some assurance that if this seat goes there will be no blockage on Kashmir in the UNSC. There’s already a blockage but there will be no further blockage in all the committees where Kashmir issues will be raised, including the human rights,” she added.
“We need to act now. India has done away with the conventional diplomacy, international laws and moral obligations. So, it is our responsibility to have acted out of the box, even diplomatically and there’s no rocket science in it. We all want the same thing then why is the Federal government so chilled out”, the Senator added.
Rehman said, “The Prime Minister did not call one meeting on Kashmir which he attended. Is his ego more important than Kashmir? What message are we sending across to Kashmir? Previous governments are being continuously blamed but what has this Nazi government done? There is no disagreement when it comes to Kashmir. We are all on the same page when it comes to this issue and will stand together to protect Kashmir”.
Talking about the Federal government’s incompetency, she said, “The clash has only been from the Federal government’s side. They have destabilized the Parliamentary system and have not been on consensus with the opposition on matters of national security. It is alarming that they started an abusive campaign against Chairman PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“The federal government continuously blames the previous governments for shortcomings but what have they actually achieved in these two years? It is the history’s most corrupt government. Despite the historical dip in the international oil prices, why have domestic oil prices been increased by twenty-five rupees? We must create a commission to investigate this alarming development,”she added.
Highlighting the Naya Pakistan Housing Scam, she said, “30 billion rupees subsidy has been given this scam initiative. While, big construction companies have been given amnesty. These are the kinds of tabdeelis the nation is witnessing. Without even any charges, Mir Shakil ur Rehman is in detention since more than 125 days. There is no press freedom because of this government’s draconian censorship policies. They are giving their cronies amnesty while muzzling democratic voices”.
Parliamentary leader of the PPP in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman concluded by saying, The PTI government has made numerous promises but what have they actually achieved? Nothing. Our healthcare system is collapsing, tourism sector is in shambles, the national airlines has been deliberately crashed. If this was the tabdeeli promised to us, then please save us from it”.
