Criticising the report on Kashmir adopted by the European Parliament, Pakistan has said the document needed further changes to make it more 'objective and a positive influence' to resolve the Kashmir issue.
'We have noted the adoption of the Report on Kashmir: Present Situation and Future Prospects by the European Parliament on Thursday. Before adoption, the report, which was initially highly-biased and one-sided, had been modified through dozens of amendments, still leaving much to be desired to make it objective and a positive influence to further promote efforts for a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,' a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office in Islamabad said.
'While the report called upon India and Pakistan to continue efforts to resolve it in the light of the President Pervez Musharraf's ideas of self-governance, freedom of movement and demilitarisation, it asked India to repeal all provisions providing immunity to armed forces and establish an independent and impartial commission of inquiry into serious violations of human rights Indian forces,' the statement said.
'At the same time, the report contains numerous factual inaccuracies, distortions and extraneous elements which have no bearing on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. This detracts from the objectivity and credibility of the report and, therefore, undermines the ability of the European Parliament to play a helpful role,' it said.
'For instance the report's criticism of the initial handling of the October 2005 earthquake is belied by facts. Pakistan government's quick response and subsequent relief and rehabilitation efforts, with the assistance of the international community, have been universally acknowledged and are being cited as a model rescue and relief mission by the United Nations,' the statement added.
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