• Resolution decries arrest of over 2,500 civilians, demolition of homes
• Says India has no legal authority to unilaterally revoke IWT
• Lawmakers slam repeated Indian ceasefire violations, unprovoked firing at LoC
• India will face defeat if war is imposed, warns Muqam
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Wednesday strongly condemned India’s false flag operation in Pahalgam and the immediate, baseless accusations against Pakistan, as well as the anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmiri propaganda pushed by Indian media in its aftermath.
In a unanimous resolution jointly tabled by members representing almost all parliamentary parties, the House decried the arrest of over 2,500 civilians, demolition of homes, and other oppressive measures in India-held Kashmir.
The lawmakers also denounced the decisions of India’s Cabinet Committee on Security, terming them a deliberate attempt to malign Pakistan and discredit the indigenous freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir without any investigation.
The resolution asserted that India had no legal authority to unilaterally revoke the Indus Waters Treaty, which was guaranteed by the World Bank.
Any such move by New Delhi, the House warned, would be seen as a deliberate attempt to push the region toward instability and war.
Fully endorsing the “bold stance and decisions” taken by Pakistan’s National Security Committee, the assembly called it a fitting response to India’s expansionist and aggressive posturing.
The lawmakers also condemned repeated ceasefire violations and unprovoked firing by Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC), while paying tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces for responding with strength and professionalism.
“This House salutes Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir for his principled and unambiguous stand on the right to self-determination of Kashmiris, for exposing India’s Hindutva agenda, and for highlighting the human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir,” the resolution read.
Reaffirming their full support, the lawmakers declared that the people of Jammu and Kashmir stood shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan’s armed forces in the defence of the country and were ready to make any sacrifice for its security and stability.
They termed India’s expansionist ambitions a threat to international peace and security, and condemned the ongoing persecution of religious minorities — particularly Muslims — in India, including attacks on their places of worship, enforced conversions, and state-backed violence.
Paying tribute to the martyrs of occupied Kashmir and the resilience of its people, the House reiterated that the people and government of AJK would continue to stand with them in their just struggle.
The resolution pointed out that the Kashmir freedom movement aligned with international law and United Nations resolutions, and that no Indian action could change the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.
It urged the UN and international community to hold India accountable for implementing the relevant UN resolutions and to take notice of the serious human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.
Unity across political lines
During the session, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq called for unity across political lines to confront the prevailing situation, urging all sides to remain prepared for any eventuality.
He announced that the assembly session would continue until the situation returned to normal, and reaffirmed that the Kashmir cause remained the government’s top priority.
Expressing their views, lawmakers from both sides of the divide noted that India was putting the lives of millions in the region at risk. They made it clear that the Kashmiri struggle was against fascist ideology and an oppressive military, not against India’s Dalit and other minority communities who themselves faced systematic persecution under the Modi regime.
They stressed that the people of AJK would be at the forefront, alongside Pakistan’s armed forces, in the event of any aggression.
Meanwhile, at one point during the session, the speaker asked the government to restrict tourist movement to Neelum Valley in view of the current war-like situation. He said the threat of Indian aggression made it necessary to prevent tourists from becoming stranded or endangered, and asked the administration to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all visitors.
Meanwhile, federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam on Wednesday said that the people living along the LoC were not alone — the entire nation, the government, and Pakistan Army stood by them.
Addressing a “Solidarity with Kashmir” rally in Sharda, located in the upper belt of Neelum Valley, he said Pakistan had always desired peace, but if India initiated a war, the entire nation would stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan Army to defeat it. “No power in the world can defeat the passion of the Pakistani nation and the commitment of its armed forces,” he declared.
The minister reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to playing an active role at every forum to secure the Kashmiri people’s fundamental right to self-determination and vowed never to backtrack on the cause of their freedom.
Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2025
