Senate Defence Committee Condemns Indian Army Chief's Provocative, Aggressive Statement

The Senate's Standing Committee on Defence on Monday condemned the provocative and aggressive statement of the Indian Army chief, where he openly boasted about crossing the border (for launching military operation) against Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jan, 2018 ) :The Senate's Standing Committee on Defence on Monday condemned the provocative and aggressive statement of the Indian Army chief, where he openly boasted about crossing the border (for launching military operation) against Pakistan.

A meeting of the committee was held here at the Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Mushahid Huussain Sayed. Among others, the meeting was attended by senators Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qayyum, Farhatullah Babar, Seher Kamran, Col (R) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Ilyas Bilour and Hidayatullah, Secretary Defence and Additional Secretary Establishment Division.

The committee passed a resolution and termed the war-like proclamation by the Indian Army chief part of a disturbing pattern of statements which have been reinforced by concrete actions on the ground, including the highest number of violations across the Line of Control/Working Boundary during 2017 and cross-border terrorism by India against Pakistan.

The resolution expressed that it was no coincidence that the Indian Army chief's statement came soon after the infamous tweet of US President Trump against Pakistan and was timed with the visit of (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu to India, since the Modi-Trump-Netanyahu alliance had formed an 'anti-Muslim axis' based on bias, bigotry and racism.

The Senate Defence Committee urges the international community to uphold the principles of international law, the United Nations Charter and norms of civilized behaviour, and reject this 'anti-Muslim axis'.

The parliament and people of Pakistan stand by the valiant armed forces of Pakistan in uniting to give a befitting response to all forms of aggression, use of force and outside interference, a resolve reaffirmed during the recent visit of the Senate Defence Committee to Chakothi on the Line of Control and North Waziristan.

"The Senate Defence Committee urges the government to take up this matter at all international fora and expose the malicious intent and aggressive role of India against Pakistan, and also condemns the atrocities in IoK (Indian occupied Kashmir), and calls for the early resolution of Kashmir issue according to the UN Resolutions, the resolution noted.

The committee also discussed the matter raised by Senator Farhatullah Babar of appointment of ex-cadre officer as head of the Military Land and Cantonment Services Department, due to which the regular cadre officers of the said service group never get an opportunity to head the department.

The committee was told during the discussion that the summary for amendment in rules was not moved by the Establishment Division but by the Ministry of Defence. The committee invoked Rule 187 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of business in Senate and directed the Ministry of Defence and Establishment Division to share the summary moved by Defence Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office in October 2014 in original form before making a final decision on the matter.

The committee chairperson, however, noted that rulings of Supreme Court on administrative matters were supreme and should be upheld by all departments concerned. The committee was also given detailed briefing on Indian Army's aggressive military actions and violations of ceasefire along Line of Control and Working Boundary.

It was told that total 3,929 ceasefire violations were committed while number of causalities had reached 1,428 since 2003. The committee was also given details of targeting of a military truck in July 2017, which fell in Neelum River and targeting of an administrative party in Nezapir Sector in August 2017.