The Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production strongly condemned the repeated ceasefire violations and incidents of unprovoked firing by the Indian troops. In a Resolution passed unanimously in its meeting held at the Parliament House today, the Committee expressed its deep disappointment on the unilateral propaganda by the Indian leadership, institutions including media and civil society and urged upon the international community and unbiased observers including UNMOGIP to play their role in clarifying the factual position to avoid any further escalation or recurrence of such incidents for peace in the region.

The Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed convened the special meeting of the Committee to get a briefing by the Ministry of Defence on the violation of LOC by the Indian forces and response by the Armed Forces of Pakistan. The Secretary Defence gave detailed briefing to the Committee on the incidents and answered questions of the Chairman and Members of the Committee. The Committee was informed that a local incident of violation of LOC by the Indian troops in the night of 5th and 6th January, 2013 was propagated about in a calibrated manner and it reached the highest offices in India in less than four days. The hype built by the Indian media about the incident was also worrying. The Committee was informed that the incident of violation of LOC was taken up very next day by the DG(MO) of Pakistan with his Indian counterpart who expressed his ignorance at that point. However, later a whole set of accusations was leveled to cover and legitimize the misadventure in which the Indian troops had fled away leaving their arms. The repeated invitation by the Government of Pakistan to hold an independent inquiry in the matter is a clear proof that allegations by India are baseless.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed appreciated the vigilant role as well as restraint by the Pakistani troops. The close cooperation and coordinated response by the Pakistan Army, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other civilian institutions was appreciated. The text of the Resolution passed unanimously by the Committee is as below:

“Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production strongly condemns the repeated ceasefire violations and incidents of unprovoked firing by the Indian troops resulting into Shahdat of soldiers of Pakistan Army. While expressing complete solidarity with the Armed Forces of Pakistan who checked the misadventures of the Indian troops, it prays to Almighty Allah to rest the souls of the Shaheeds in eternal peace and grant courage and fortitude to the members of the bereaved families to bear the loss.

Expressing its deep disappointment on the unilateral propaganda by the Indian leadership, institutions including media and civil society, the Committee urged upon the international community and unbiased observers to play their role in clarifying the factual position. The invitation by the Pakistan government to hold UNMOGIP inquiry into the incidents clearly shows that position of Pakistan’s Armed Forces is correct and the whole propaganda by India is baseless.

The Committee records its apprehension that unabated unilateral violations of LOC by the Indian troops and the following propaganda to malign Pakistan’s Armed Forces may cause serious damage to the peace process and prospects of better understanding and relations between the two countries so essentially required for the welfare of the common man of the two countries.

Highlighting the sensitivity of the nature of relations and the adverse possible effects, the Committee urged the Indian political leadership and Parliamentarians to have a more positive attitude towards relations with Pakistan so that peace of the region is not disturbed and such incidents do not recur”.

During the meeting Senators Haji Mohammad Adeel and Senator Col. (R) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi raised the issue of making the Cantonment Boards more representative and democratic. The Secretary Defence responded that in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court, elections for the Cantonment Boards will be held within the given time frame. However, it was decided that a detailed briefing will be taken by the Director General Military Land and Cantonment on various issues raised by the Members.

The Chairman of the Committee appreciated the detailed professional briefing by the Secretary Defence, Lt. Gen. (R) Asif Yaseen Malik and termed it ‘comprehensive and candid’.
The Deputy Chairman Senate, Mr. Sabir Ali Baloch, Leader of the Opposition Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Senator Ch. Shujaat Hussain, Senator Raja Mohammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Senator  Haji Mohammad Adeel, Senator Col. (R) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Senator Sehar Kamran attended the meeting besides the Secretary of the Committee Mr. Amjed Pervez, Special Secretary Senate.