Govt Effectively Raised IIOJK Issue: President

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jun, 2021 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi Monday said due to consistent and strenuous efforts of the government, the Indian Illegally Occupied and Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK) issue had been discussed across the globe in the way, it had never happened in the last 15 years.

Appearing in a Dawn news tv programme, the president said in the fast-changing world, the government could take decisions on different foreign issues which it deemed appropriate.

He said the prime minister had vociferously raised vital issues like Islamophobia etc. at the global fora.

About the IIOJK, the president said Pakistan would continue extending its support to the just cause of Kashmiri people.

India, he said, had committed a blunder over the IIOJK. In Palestine, the world witnessed the situation and its impacts were felt across the world, he added.

The president said due to the emerging new circumstances, the approach and strategy could be changed.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was the only party, which had raised voice over the US attack on Afghanistan.

The president reiterated that a peaceful well-negotiated settlement was a key to peace and stability in Afghanistan.

To a question, he underlined the need for holding constructive debates in the society and on TV programmes. The country had different important issues, which required constructive debates instead of irrelevant issues.

The sense of responsibility with regard to the national issues vested with all the people in society, he added.

About the role of opposition in the Parliament, the president observed that it was doing politics for the sake of opposition and was not serious in legislation.

Due to the resistance of opposition, there was no debate on different important bills in the Parliament, he said, adding the country was changing and the opposition could not resist the positive outcome of the changes.

About the passage of ordinances, he said the Constitution provided an option in which the president could issue an ordinance.

The legislation in the Parliament, he said, saw a backlog due to lack of interest on part of the opposition benches, but in his opinion, the government system should continue.

The debate in the Parliament over different issues like electronic voting machine (EVM) and electoral reforms were not held due to the resistance of opposition, he added.

About his role as President, Dr Alvi said he was ready to take them (opposition) on board. The EVM's specifications were made with the consensus of all stakeholders, he added.

About functioning of the EVM, the president said it was not hackable as it would not be connected with a wifi system or internet. After pressing a button, a voter could select the party's symbol on the EVM, and his or her vote would be printed along on a paper ballot. So where was the confusion, he added.

He said he had invited heads of parliamentary parties to watch the EVM demonstration and was even ready to facilitate them.

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