ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has welcomed the public hearing of Tom Lantos HumanRights Commission of the US Congress on the human rights situation inIndian occupied Kashmir.
In a statement today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal saidthe deliberations of the Commission reinforced internationally recognizeddisputed nature of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and highlighted gross humanrights violations and the humanitarian crisis there.
Dr Muhammad Faisal said the latest hearing in the Lantos Commission isanother illustration of the world community’s serious concern over theunacceptable situation in occupied Kashmir and the need to address iturgently.
He said Pakistan recognizes efforts of Members of the U.S. Congress whohave raised their voices of conscience on the ongoing persecution of theKashmiri people and called upon the Indian government to end its brutalrepression.
We appreciate that the U.S. leadership and lawmakers are cognizant of thepotential threats to fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, right ofself-determination, and peace and stability in the region and are willingto play their due role to help bring the continuing humanitarian nightmareto an end.
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The general view during the hearing was that international journalists,independent human rights organizations and United Nations SpecialRapporteurs should be allowed to visit IOJ&K. The witnesses also called forimmediate lifting of the communications blockade and restoration of humanrights in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Overall, it was emphasized that Indiashould not be allowed to continue its oppressive policies as well asreligious and ethnic persecution. The international community was urged tohold independent investigations into grave human rights violations in theoccupied territory.
Dr Muhammad Faisal said the courage of the panellists who became the voiceof innocent Kashmiri people being brutally silenced by India’scommunications blockade is laudable. They shredded the myth of so-called“largest democracy” and honestly exposed the authoritarian, nationalisticand extremist motivations driving the Indian government’s deplorable andrepressive policies. They also expressed their concern that persecution ofreligious minorities in India, especially manifested in the form ofanti-conversion legislation, Babri Masjid verdict, National Register ofCitizens (NRC) in Assam as well as mob violence and lynching were fosteringa growing sense of fear among the minorities in India.
Dr Muhammad Faisal said the Indian regime must end its illegal occupationof occupied Kashir, stop its state-terrorism, and allow the exercise ofright to self-determination to the Kashmiri people as stipulated by theUnited Nations Security Council resolutions.
