KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution unanimously amid slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’, condemning the violation of the Line of Control by Indian jets and appreciated the timely and effective response by the Pakistan Air Force.

The house resolved that any aggression on the part of the eastern neighbour would be dealt “with an iron hand”.

Three resolutions were presented separately by Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sadia Javed, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Mangla Sharma and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Umer Umari and were later clubbed together.

The resolution condemned the “revolting violation” of the LoC by the Indian Air Force from Muzaffar Sector and appreciated the timely and effective response by the PAF.

“This house stands united with our fearless armed forces working tirelessly day and night to safeguard our motherland,” said the resolution.

Ms Javed said Pakistan was a responsible nuclear nation, which, after the aggression by India, reserved the right to retaliate. She appealed to the world powers to rein in India.

Ms Sharma said Pakistan was there to stay as a strong country despite such cowardly tactics being employed by the eastern neighbour, which was “oversized” yet had far lesser courage and will to fight.

‘This house stands united with our fearless armed forces, working tirelessly to safeguard our motherland’

Mr Umari said the country would not retreat if a war was imposed upon it by India.

Former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said India was not capable of imposing a war on Pakistan.

“We are here to fight it out valiantly. We know how to protect every inch of our homeland and gift you a not-so-beautiful defeat.”

Saner elements in India urged to play their role

Leader of the Opposition Firdous Naqvi said Pakistan wanted lasting peace in the region.

“We want peace; we desire we should not go to war; for this, saner elements in India should play their part,” he said. However, he said Pakistan’s response would be not meek and cowardly if war was imposed upon it.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s Abdul Rasheed said Pakistan is an ideology that was part of the very being of every Pakistani. He felicitated Prime Minister Imran Khan for his “courageous” response, adding that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was engaged in warmongering to win the coming general election.

He demanded that the federal government convene a national conference to mull a policy on the situation and requested the armed forces to arrange an in-camera briefing to parliament.

Grand Democratic Alliance’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi said Pakistan was ready to fight if India began a war against it.

PTI’s Shehzad Qureshi said all such tactics being employed by the Indian leadership had the sole objective to win elections.

PPP’s Farrukh Shah said India was forcing Pakistan to engage in an unwanted war. He added that Pakistan had never initiated a war, yet it would fight with resilience if India wanted that.

Sadhumal Surender of the PPP said PM Modi was the butcher of Muslims and Dalits residing in India and the people of Kashmir. He said he hoped that despite such misadventures the BJP would lose in the coming elections.

PTI’s Jamal Siddiqui said the country was united in PM Imran’s leadership and the armed forces were ready to defeat the enemy.

PPP’s Makhdoom Mehboob echoed the same sentiments, adding that Indians were just “making a drama to win the next elections”.

Burhan Chandio said many political parties in India themselves did not buy what Modi was doing and were against war.

MQM’s Nasir Qureshi said Pakistan is the most beautiful gift of the Almighty for which everyone was ready to fight against evil forces.

Munawwar Wassan of the PPP paid tribute to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had helped make Pakistan a nuclear nation.

PTI’s Imran Shah warned Indian leadership that any misadventure on its part could send its country to Stone Age as Pakistan had a highly capable professional army.

Ghazala Siyal and Marui Rashdi of the PPP said no one would retreat when a war was imposed on the motherland.

GDA’s Nand Kumar said he would be first on the border to fight against India with Pakistani soldiers.

Zulfiqar Shah said there were people such as Rahul Gandhi who wanted peace with Pakistan. Murad Ali Shah of Naushahro Feroze also echoed the same sentiments.

PTI’s Sanjay Gangwani and Shahryar Shar said patriotism was the key to protecting the motherland.

PPP’s Heer Ismail Soho said India was dreaming of becoming a superpower of the region, which Pakistan would never allow. She said Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be taken as its weakness.

Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s Sarwat Fatima said Pakistan had always preferred talks to war. She said the TLP fully supported its army.

PPP’s Sohrab Sarki and Arbab Lutfullah said there were sensible elements in India who did not want war either. They added that war was not good for anyone, else the whole region would suffer.

PPP’s Tanzeela Sheedi said India had not yet succeeded in eliminating the ancient caste system, which was consuming precious human lives; then, how could it combat the strong army of Pakistan?

PTI’s parliamentary leader Haleem Shaikh warned the Indian forces that they should be wary of the fact that every Pakistani had a soldier in one’s heart. Thus, he added, they should think multiple times before starting a war that would be detrimental for them.

Deputy Speaker Rehana Laghari put the resolution before the house, and it was passed unanimously with members standing and a number of them chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

The provincial legislature also passed a resolution on the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatima.

Earlier, GDA’s Nand Kumar withdrew his adjournment motion on the kidnapping of a Hindu trader in Sukkur as Ramesh Kumar had already returned home safely.

However, the MPA claimed that Mr Kumar won his freedom after paying Rs30 million, a claim disputed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Chawla, asking the GDA member to furnish evidence of his claim before the house.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2019