Pakistan puts forward demands over Occupied Kashmir atrocities
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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Thursday voiced serious concern over the “relentless killing, maiming, unlawful arrests and torture” by India against the innocent civilians in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir and pointed that in June alone 33 people have been killed by the Indian Army.
The Foreign Office spokesman reiterated the demand for immediate establishment of Commission of Inquiry to assess the Human Rights situation in the region and said the reign of terror against the Kashmiris has become a matter of routine. He said the recommendations of the The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) need to be implemented without delay.
“We urge the international community to call India to account for its grave human rights violations in IoK,” the Spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal told reporters here at the Foreign Office at the weekly briefing.
He said the Indian occupation forces continue to kill innocent defenseless Kashmiris with impunity. He said in June thirty – three (33) Kashmiris were martyred and at least 236 injured. Out of these, 7 youth were killed in a fake encounter in Kupwara. Faisal said those martyred included three widowed women and four children.
He said the last week was equally traumatic and tragic for Kashmiris in IoK and said the bloodthirsty Indian army and paramilitary forces killed 14-years young boy, Faizan Ahmad Khan. He said the event was all the more tragic as the hospital doctor who declared Faizan dead happened to be Faizan’s own father.
He said the injured suffered fatal and serious injuries due to indiscriminate brute force including firing of bullets, pellets, PAVA and teargas shells by Indian occupation forces. Over 176 people, including Hurriyat activists and students were arrested last month during house raids and crackdown operations, the spokesman pointed.
He said Sajad Ahmad Shah and 31-year old Mudasir Ahmad Bhat in Pulwama and Kupwara were succumbed to their injuries caused by bullets, pellets and teargas shells.
The Spokesman said to highlight the serious situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir a briefing for Islamabad-based Heads of Mission was held on June 27 at Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the recent Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on the situation of human rights in Kashmir.
He said the Foreign Minister Abdullah Hussain Haroon during the briefing to diplomats regretted that the fundamental human conscience had been surpassed by our more ‘practical’ interests, when it came to the human rights violations in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is time for the international community to move beyond political and economic expediencies and fulfill its promises to the Kashmiri people, as per United Nations Security Council Resolutions,” the spokesman said.
Mohammad Faisal said the UN Report had categorically focused on the Indian atrocities in IoK and explicitly underscored India’s obligation to fulfill its commitment to International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law, as well as, to halt the human sufferings in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The Spokesman said Pakistan has handed over a list of 471 Indian prisoners (53 civilian + 418 fishermen) held in Pakistan to the High Commission of India July 1, as per the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between the two countries.
Pakistan and India, signed the agreement on May 21, 2008, under which both countries were required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on the first of January and July, respectively. The Indian Government also handed over the list of Pakistani prisoners in Indian, to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said Pakistan fully supports the efforts of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for talks with the Taliban. He reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace in Afghanistan and said the country was playing its due role in this regard. He said the international community also needs to play its part in bringing peace to Afghanistan. He said Pakistan seeks a political solution to the situation in Afghanistan.
He said it was not Pakistan’s sole responsibility to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table and said the entire international community needs to play its part in this regard. He said Pakistan was supportive of the talks process with the Taliban.
He said the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ambassador Alice Wells had a constructive visit to Pakistan and was briefed about the arrangements for improved border management with Afghanistan and added the United States has appreciated these measures.
The Spokesman said Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Jalalabad city, killing and injuring many innocent civilians. “We are distressed and grieved at the loss of precious human lives. Pakistan reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.” - APP
