GENEVA, Switzerland: Pakistan has raised the issue of India’s grave human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir during the 37th Session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Speaking at the Human Rights Council held in the Swiss Capital on Thursday, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative Tahir Andrabi called on India to stop killing Kashmiri civilians, end the impunity enjoyed by its security forces and allow unfettered access to UN Fact Finding Team to investigate human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Tahir Andrabi said that India’s denial of access to the UN Fact Finding Team is a “desperate attempt” to hide its atrocities in “the most militarized zone of the world”.
Terming Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is “root of the problem”, Pakistan demanded the United Nations to continue documenting human rights abuses by India in Occupied Kashmir.
India must end its illegal occupation and resolve the Kashmir despite in accordance with wishes of Kashmiri people as laid down in numerous UN Security Council resolutions.
Later replying to the Indian statement, Pakistan stated that Kashmiri struggle for right to self-determination cannot be subsumed under the label of terrorism. India’s illegal occupation, massive human rights abuses, extra-judicial executions and economic exploitation of the territory continue to stir the Kashmiri freedom movement.
Pakistan would continue to give its moral and political support to the oppressed people of the Indian Occupied Kashmir in realization of their inalienable right to self-determination.
The topic of the debate at the Human Rights Council was the annual report of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, who had regretted India’s denial of unconditional access in Indian Occupied Kashmir to UN human rights investigators.
The report also noted with concern that discrimination and violence directed at minorities, particularly Muslims is on rise in India. In some cases, this injustice appears actively endorsed by local or religious officials.
