New Delhi, Aug 14: Parliament today rejected the Pakistan National Assembly resolution, saying it leveled ”absolutely baseless and unfounded” allegations against India and asserted that Pakistan Army was actually involved in ”unprovoked” attack on the Line of Control (LoC) last week.
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha unanimously adopted identical resolutions condemning Pakistan Army for indulging in the attacks and asked the government of Pakistan to abide by the ceasefire commitment of 2003 along the international border and the LoC in letter and spirit.
The Houses regretted that the Pakistan Army was indulging in attacks at a time “when efforts are being made to establish a long-lasting framework of peaceful, friendly and cooperative ties so that both the countries may henceforth devote their resources and energies to the pressing task of advancing the
welfare of their people.”
The resolutions read out by Chairman Hamid Ansari in Rajya Sabha and Speaker Meira Kumar in Lok Sabha said, “This House rejects and deplores the resolutions passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on August 13,2013 and the Federal Assembly of Punjab which made absolutely baseless and unfounded allegations against the Indian Army and the people of India.”
Both the Houses underlined that “there should be absolutely no doubt in anyone's mind, including members of the Pakistan National Assembly that it was the Pakistan Army that was involved in unprovoked attack on an Indian Army patrol on our side of the LoC” on August 6.
“This House also strongly condemns the action of the Pakistan Army and reiterates once again that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including the territory forcibly and illegally occupied by Pakistan is an integral part of India and will always remain so,” said the resolution adopted with thumping of desks.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present in the Lok Sabha when the resolution was adopted.
Both the Houses emphasised that India upholds the sanctity of the LoC and “calls upon the government of Pakistan to abide by the ceasefire commitment of 2003 along the international border and Line of Control both in letter and spirit.”
The resolutions said, “India is not a threat to Pakistan or the people of Pakistan. It is the terrorist groups that have been nurtured by Pakistan to target India and have become the biggest threat to peace in the region.”
The resolutions were adopted after demands by members for such an action to counter Pakistan National Assembly resolutions.
When Rajya Sabha met for the day today, Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) raised the issue and asked the government to bring a resolution in the House.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said the House has been unanimous during such situations.
The resolution passed by Pakistan National Assembly condemned the “unprovoked aggression by Indian military forces across the LoC in recent days”.
On August 6, Pakistani troops killed five Indian soldiers after crossing the LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
