ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has raised the issue of India’s grave human rightsviolations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK) during the 37thSession of UN Human Rights Council, being held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Speaking at the Human Rights Council yesterday, Pakistan’s Deputy PermanentRepresentative Tahir Andrabi called on India to stop killing Kashmiricivilians, end the impunity enjoyed by its security forces and allowunfettered access to UN Fact Finding Team to investigate human rightsviolations in IoK.
India’s denial of access to the UN Fact Finding Team is a “desperateattempt” to hide its atrocities in “the most militarized zone of theworld”, he added.
Terming Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is “root of theproblem”, Pakistan demanded the UN to continue documenting human rightsabuses by India in IoK. India must end its illegal occupation and resolvethe Kashmir despite in accordance with wishes of Kashmiri people as laiddown in numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Later replying to the Indian statement, Pakistan stated that Kashmiristruggle for right to self determination cannot be subsumed under the labelof terrorism. India’s illegal occupation, massive human rights abuses,extra-judicial executions and economic exploitation of the territorycontinue to stir the Kashmiri freedom movement. Pakistan would continue togive its moral and political support to the oppressed people of the IoK inrealization of their inalienable right to self determination.
The topic of the debate at the Human Rights Council was the annual reportof the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, who had regretted India’sdenial of unconditional access in IoK to UN human rights investigators. Thereport also noted with concern that discrimination and violence directed atminorities, particularly Muslims is on rise in India. In some cases, thisinjustice appears actively endorsed by local or religious officials.