LAHORE   -   Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has said that the nation would not forgive Prime Minister Imran Khan if he showed any weakness on the Kashmir issue.

Addressing a press conference at party secretariat in Model Town on Monday, he said that time has come to control fits of Indian PM Narindra Modi.

Flanked by Maryam Aurangzeb and Azma Zahid Bokhari, the PML-N President said that the Opposition was standing united on the national issue despite differences with the rulers while suggesting the PM to avoid terming it as an attempt to get NRO.

“It is not time of talking about foreign tours but to control fits of Modi”, he said while raising the question that whether the mediation offer of the US President Donald Trump was a trump card or a trap card.

“The entire nation is standing with Kashmiri brothers. The oppressed people are looking toward rulers in Islamic countries. Pakistan should immediately send delegations to these countries”, he said, adding, other countries including United Kingdom should also be approached. He appealed Islamic countries including Saudi Arabia and Turkey to come forward and play due role to end plight of the oppressed people.

“Quaid-e-Azam had rightly termed Kashmir jugular vein of Pakistan. The occupation forces are using every tactics for oppressing the people. Kashmir issue is a reality. The entire nation is united and will not leave brothers alone in this hour of distress”, he said, adding, Narindra Modi was bent upon using brute force to change demography of the region.

“India has resorted to large scale arrests and putting Hurriyat leadership under house arrest. The entire valley is under curfew. Desire of Modi to win Kashmir through war is unrealistic. There is time of coming both the civil and military leadership on one page. Our soldiers have rendered sacrifices for winning war against terrorism”, he said, adding, the armed forces were capable and ready to face any challenge.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has announced countrywide rallies to express solidarity with the people of Indian occupied Kashmir, urging the government to take every possible step to stop New Delhi fulfill its nefarious design regarding the status of the held region.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at Mansoora along with the central leadership of the JI following Indian announcement to revoke the special autonomy to the occupied region through a rushed presidential decree, he said that revocation of Article 370 was a blatant violation of Simla Agreement and United Nations Resolutions on Kashmir.

Siraj demanded the government to immediately approach the UN Security Council, OIC and international community to build pressure on India to shun its decision.

“India has announced war by revoking the article 370 and now Pakistan should go to every extent to reverse the decision. People of Kashmir need Pakistan’s support now and we should convey them a clear message that nation is standing with them united and un-shattered”, he said while suggesting Islamabad to link its cooperation with the US on Afghanistan to the solution of Kashmir issue.

It was high time, said the JI leader, that Islamabad demand Washington to ‘do more’ to pursue India to immediately reverse its decision regarding Article 370 which throw the entire region into a war-like situation.

He, however, said US President Donald Trump offer for mediation on Kashmir must be accepted if it was according to the UN resolution as no other solution to the issue was acceptable to the nation and people of Kashmir.

“JI is going to organize rallies, procession across the country from today. We are organizing an international conference on Kashmir after Eid,” he announced.

He welcomed the government decision to call joint session of the parliament. He said all political parties should stand united at this moment and extend a strong message to India and entire world that Pakistan will never compromise on its principle stand on Kashmir.

He said Kashmir was a jugular vein of Pakistan and country was incomplete without it. He said India was following Israel footsteps to change the majority into minority in the occupied region.