ISLAMABAD – United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres Sundayreiterated that there was absolute need for the protection of human rightsin the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
During a question and answer session in a talk on ‘Sustainable Developmentand Climate Change’ the UN global body chief responded that he wasexpressing clearly that there was absolute need for protection of the humanrights in the disputed Kashmir valley and elsewhere in the world.
He said the UN had expressed its strong commitment that human rights mustbe respected everywhere in the world.
Guterres once again extended his willingness to facilitate dialogue betweenPakistan and India over the Kashmir dispute.
He said that he had already made these offers in the past as he wasstrongly advocating for dialogue between the two neighbours.
The UN secretary general also referred to the UN human rights commission’srole in this regard.
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The Indian government had clamped indefinite curfew in the occupied valleyby blocking communication means and free movement after stripping itsspecial status through controversial, illegal and unilateral legislation.
To another question about water dispute between India and Pakistan,Guterres maintained that the World Bank was involved in the case.
He said both the countries had a water agreement and through effectivecooperation and dialogue issues could be overcome.He said water must be an instrument for peace and development.
