Senate panel slams longest curfew in IHK.

ISLAMABAD -- The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Thursday strongly condemned the ongoing longest curfew in Indian-occupied Kashmir and recent Quetta terrorist attack that claimed at least 14 lives including deputy superintendent of police Haji Amanullah while 21 others sustained injuries. At the outset of the meeting, Chairman Committee Senator A Rehman Malik strongly condemned the ongoing brutalities committed by Indian forces in IOK and the 164 days longest curfew imposed in the valley. He said that committee would continue to condemn brutal curfew by Indian forces and will express solidarity with people of Kashmir who are struggling for their legitimate right of self-determination under UNSC resolutions. The chair asked the PTI-led government to expose the real cruel face of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi through diplomatic fronts by highlighting Indian army's brutalities against unarmed oppressed Kashmiris. The committee highly commended the role of China in highlighting the Kashmir issue in UNSC meetings and thanked the Chinese government for their support on the issue. 'We highly appreciate the statement of Chinese Ambassador in UN Zhang Jun wherein he has stated that China regards Kashmir as a territory disputed between India and Pakistan and supports UN resolutions calling for the exercise by Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination through an UN-supervised plebiscite.' He also welcomed and commended support of the Russian deputy permanent representative in the UN. The meeting expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of more than 100 people and damages of property due to severe snowfall and heavy rain and land sliding across the country. Senator Malik said that Azad Kashmir was the worst-hit area wherein 62 people killed. He directed the government to extend its full assistance to the local administration of the affected areas for rescue and relief operation and announce compensation for the affected families. Expressing his concerns on the bomb blast in Quetta, Senator Malik said the new wave of terrorism was of high concern as terrorists mostly used to start their activities from Balochistan to spread these across the country. He said that government and law enforcement agencies must remain on high alert and vigilant as 'inimical forces have always wanted to destabilise peace of the country particularly Balochistan.' He said chief secretary Balochistan would be summoned in the next meeting for a briefing on law...