UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations human rights chief has defended theworld body’s June 14 human rights report on Kashmir that accused Indiantroops of having used excessive force to kill and wound civilians since2016 and called for an international investigation.

“I will still stand by it,” High Commissioner Zeid Raad al-Hussein said ata farewell news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Thursday,referring to the report which India not only rejected as flawed but itsmedia also unleashed personal attacks on him.Zeid, an outspoken high commissioner for human rights, leaves hisGeneva-based post on Aug. 31, after serving a four-year term.

The first-ever U.N. report focused mainly on serious violations in Indianoccupied Kashmir from July 2016 to April 2018.“The report makes it clear the excessive use of force was of a gravity thatdemanded the attention of the international community,” he said in responseto a question.

“If 6,000 people were struck by pellets in New Delhi or in Mumbai, it wouldbe front-page news. Why is it that if you have that number in the (Kashmir)valley somehow then that is something that should not be occupying theattention of the international community,” High Commissioner Zeid posed thequestion.

The high commissioner pointed out UN human rights experts were not allowedto visit Kashmir to make an investigation, and for a absolutely clearpicture without any inaccuracy, “we have continue to press for access inthe region because then any discrepancies will be sorted out.”“We are still waiting for the access to be given,” he said.

Asked whether Thursday’s damning New York Times report about the situationin Indian occupied Kashmir was inspired by the UN report and if thenewspaper’s conclusions had vindicated it, High Commissioner Zeid said, “Idon’t know if The New York Times piece was inspired by the report , but itbasically dovetails what is in our report.”