Chairman Senate cancels UAE visit to protest Modi award

Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani has cancelled his scheduled visit to the United Arab Emirates a day after the country gave Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highest civilian award.

Sanjrani was to depart on a four-day visit to the UAE with a parliamentary delegation yesterday but it was called off to express solidarity with people of Kashmir and protest The Gulf state’s decision to give Modi highest civilian award.

According to a press release issued, the Chairman Senate said that Pakistan fully supported the freedom movement of Kashmiris.

He said the Modi government has carried out unprecedented atrocities against Kashmiris and imposed a curfew in the occupied territory.

Any visit in such scenario would harm the sentiments of Pakistanis and Kashmiri brethren.

The Chairman has called off his and the parliamentary delegation’s visit to the UAE, it added.

Talking to media, Sanjrani said he was saddened over the award given to Narendra Modi who has carried out atrocities against innocent people in the occupied territory and visiting the UAE at this time would hurt Kashmiris.

The UAE envoy has been conveyed about the situation, he said.

Modi was awarded the UAE’s highest civilian honor on Saturday, as a human rights crisis brews in occupied Kashmir with the Indian government continuing its clampdown in the disputed territory.

The Indian prime minister was conferred the award at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi during his first visit to the UAE capital after winning the recent elections.

Lock down continues for 20th day in Indian occupied Kashmir.

Indian forces meanwhile continued their lock down of occupied Kashmir for the 21st day on Sunday, after India withdrew Article 370 of its constitution that gave a special status to the disputed territory.

Indian authorities continued to impose strict curfew and other restrictions across the valley, preventing Kashmiris from holding demonstrations against the occupation and end of the special status for Jammu and Kashmir.