National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): A high-level meeting of the country’s
top political and military leadership on Friday decided to approach
the United Nations’ Human Rights Council and OIC Contact Group on
Kashmir to send a fact-finding mission to Indian-held Kashmir to
investigate the killing of innocent civilians.
The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
and attended by cabinet ministers and services chief, also sought
ban on use of pellet guns by Indian security forces for dispersing
Kashmiri people exercising their right to protest.
Prime Minister Sharif condemned the continuous Indian
oppression in Occupied Kashmir and said the use of brutal force was
a blatant violation of the fundamental rights of Kashmiri people.
He said India terming Kashmir dispute as its internal affair
was factually incorrect, legally untenable and indeed a violation of
international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
The Prime Minister said Kashmiris’ movement was their struggle
for freedom and stressed that by suppressing the voice of Kashmiri
people, India could not legitimize its occupation in Kashmir.
The only plausible solution of the Kashmir issue would be the
early implementation of UN Security Council resolution that calls
for a fair and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices, he added.
Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan would continue to provide
diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of Jammu and
Kashmir for the realization of their fundamental right to self-
determination.
The meeting unanimously expressed grave concern over the
martyrdom of indigenous Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhanuddin Wani
and strongly condemned the continuing oppression of the Indian
security forces over innocent Kashmiris.
The meeting called upon the international community to
play their role in fulfillment of its commitment towards the people
of Jammu and Kashmir under the UNSC resolutions.
On national security, the meeting lauded the relentless
contributions and sacrifices of the country’s armed forces and
security personnel and expressed satisfaction over the gains
achieved so far during the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb, in
effectively ensuring national security.
The meeting reaffirmed its resolve against elimination of
terrorism and extremism from the motherland and appreciated the role
of military and civil intelligence agencies against the nefarious
designs of the international agencies and hostile countries.
On Afghanistan, the meeting decided introduction of an
effective border management system and termed its enforcement in the
interest of both the countries.
The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Khwaja Muhammad
Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister
Ishaq Dar and National Security Advisor Nasir Janjua.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad
Mehmood, Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Naval chief
Admiral Zakaullah and Director General Inter Services Intelligence
Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar were present.
Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and
Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi also joined the meeting.