ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Wednesday welcomed the UK Parliamentary Group’sReport on Jammu and Kashmir terming it “a damning indictment for India andan encouraging step forward after the UN OHCHR Report.

A statement from the Foreign Office said the Report of the UK Parliament’sAll Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir (APPKG), on human rights situationin Jammu and Kashmir has detailed severe human rights atrocities in theIndian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK).

“It echoes many of the findings of the UN OHCHR Report on Jammu and Kashmiralready published and is critical of the human rights atrocities beingcommitted with impunity by Indian occupation forces in IoK, especially theuse of pellet guns, draconian laws including the Armed Forces SpecialPowers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA).”

The foreign office said a lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir disputewas essential for peace, security and stability of South Asia and beyond.It pointed that the report also mentions presence of unmarked graves in IoKand enforced disappearances, which confirm the humanitarian emergency inIoK.

The Foreign Office said the report follows the visit of a nine-memberdelegation of the APPKG to Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Thegroup’s report, following the visit, was a damning indictment for India andan encouraging step forward after the UN OHCHR Report. Both these reportsunderscore the contrast between the human right situation in IndianOccupied Jammu and Kashmir and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan welcomes the APPKG’s Report on Jammu and Kashmir as well as itsrecommendations. Pakistan believes that the lasting solution of the Jammu &Kashmir dispute is essential for peace, security and stability of SouthAsia and beyond. India’s denials of this reality, its unwillingness toengage in dialogue and suppression of Kashmiri aspirations for freedomcontinue to endanger regional as well as international peace and security.-APP