BRUSSELS – Members of the European and Belgium Parliament and communityleaders have demanded an independent international investigation into thegross human rights violations in the Indian occupied Kashmir as recommendedby the United Nation’s Office of High Commissioner on Human Rights(UNOHCHR) in its report this year.
They were addressing a conference organized by the Embassy of Pakistan inBrussels at the Press Club Brussels Europe to observe Black Day for Kashmirwith a view to draw attention of international community to the humanrights violations in the Indian occupied Kashmir, a message received hereSaturday said.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Vice President of BrusselsParliament Eman Ozkara, Member Brussels Parliament Dr Manzoor Zahoor,Belgian human rights activist Andy Vermaut, Honorary Council General ofPakistan in Gent Karin Zoeter , representative of student’s union of KULeaven University Wim Kneapen, councillor Shazia Manzoor, Deputy Head ofMission, Embassy of Pakistan Asif Memon and 7-years old Pakistani studentMaham Sohail.
Video messages of members of European Parliament including those of Membersof European Parliament Jean Lambert, Julie Ward, Amjad Bashir, Wajid Khanand Mishaal Malik wife of detained Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik were alsopresent on the occasion.In their messages, they called upon theinternational community to take action for addressing growing violence bythe Indian forces in IoK.
A documentary depicting human rights violations in IoK was also screened.
The speakers were of the view that for the international community therewas almost no accessibility to the Indian occupied Kashmir and India’srefusal for access to representatives of the UN High Commissioner for HumanRights to investigate violations of human rights posed a big problem.
The speakers condemned the use of pellet guns by Indian forces which hadblinded thousands and killed hundreds of Kashmiris since the uprisings inthe aftermath of martyrdom of young Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani in July2016.
They also expressed concerns over unexplained disappearances. Indian ArmedForces Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA) and the Jammu and Kashmir PublicSafety Act, 1978 (PSA), had created structures that obstruct the normalcourse of law, impede accountability and jeopardize the right to remedy forvictims of human rights violations.
They referred to the report of UN’s Office of the High Commissioner forHuman Rights that over 1,000 people were detained under the PSA in just oneyear between March 2016 and August 2017.
Human rights groups had warned Jammu and Kashmir authorities that minorswere being arrested under the PSA. Medical aid was also being obstructed inIndian Occupied Kashmir making situation even worst for innocent people ofKashmir, they added.