LAHORE, Jan 28 (APP):Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has written to the members of European Parliament (MEPs) to adopt its resolution condemning Indian atrocities against Kashmir people, imposition of curfew, introduction of controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and violation of UN Security Council’s resolutions on Kashmir.
The European Parliament (EP) is due to meet on January 30 to take up a joint motion tabled in the house of 751 MEPs for a resolution to condemn Indian human rights violations against the Kashmiris in the IOK, introduction of CAA, curbing of individual freedoms, undermining rights of the citizenship, discrimination against migrants and violence against hapless protestors.
In a letter addressed to the Vice President EP Fabio Castaldo and 751 MEPs here on Tuesday, he also mentioned the violation of seven conventions of the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations by India.
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar urged the EU member states to support resolution for repealing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act-2019 (CAA) of India and lifting of curfew by India in occupied Kashmir, besides help implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.
“I am deeply grateful to all the European Union Lawmakers for their commitment to upholding social justice and democratic values of equality, diversity and fairness and drafting the anti-CAA resolution to condemn unilateral changes made to the autonomous status of Kashmir and implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions in the upcoming European Parliament session”, he wrote.
Sarwar wrote, India’s fast-track citizenship act is “explicitly discriminatory in nature as it specifically excludes Muslims from access to the same provisions as other religious groups”.
He further said it is high time for the international community to check Indian government’s gross violations of human rights and draconian laws.
Referring to various section of the resolution tabled in the EP, Sarwar stressed CAA is explicitly discriminatory in nature as it specifically excludes Muslims from having access to the same provisions as other religious groups.
However the world’s most persecuted minorities such as Sri Lankan Tamils, Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, Bihari Muslims from Bangladesh and Buddhist refugees from Tibet, do not fall under CAA’s purview.
Governor Punjab said under the guise of CAA, India is prosecuting national & religious minorities and silencing opposition, human rights groups and journalists critical of the government.
He hailed EP for condemning India’s disregard of its International obligations & Human Rights treaties to which New Delhi is a signatory, through a resolution to be taken up in the upcoming European Parliament session.
Sarwar drew the attention of the world to the fact that India stands in violation of the Charter of the United Nations; Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; UN Security Council Resolution 91 (1951) on Kashmir; UN report on Kashmir of 2019; India-EU Strategic Partnership Joint Action Plan and the EU-India Thematic Dialogue on Human Rights; and Article 14 of Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality to all & protects all from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
Sarwar, who is a former British parliament member, has reminded the EP of Pakistan’s desire for peace as compared with India’s war hysteria and cross border violations.
Governor Punjab has also reiterated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s commitment to work for durable peace and highlight Kashmir issue at all international forums as ‘ambassador of Kashmir cause’.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan is open to dialogue and negotiations realizing enormous human, economic and political benefits of resolving Kashmir conflict. The need of peace and stability in the region was of paramount importance as Pakistan and India are nuclear weapon states”, he concluded.
