Pakistan has called upon the international community to hold India accountable for serious crimes against the Kashmiri people and human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
In a statement on Thursday, on the eve of International Human Rights Day, Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said this day is an occasion to reaffirm our resolve to respect and uphold human dignity and to promote the human rights agenda without any distinction or discrimination.
He said India must be called upon to accept a UN Commission of Inquiry for an independent and impartial investigation of the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and fully respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Kashmiri people.
The Spokesperson said India’s gross and systematic violations of human rights in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been comprehensively documented in the two Kashmir reports of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as by the UN Special Procedure Mandate Holders, international civil society, and the media.
He said the world must focus on oppressed people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, who are being denied their inalienable right to self-determination for over seven decades and facing gruesome repression at the hands of Indian occupation forces acting with full impunity. He said since 5 August last year these people are enduring the worst form of human rights violations and their suffering has increased manifolds during the global pandemic. In defiance of its obligations under the UN Charter, UNSC resolutions and international law, especially the 4th Geneva Convention, India is seeking to alter the demographic structure of the occupied territory.
Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry Pakistan has instituted wide-ranging people-centric policy measures, which are anchored in the Government’s vision to reshape Pakistan in the image of the State of Madinah established by our Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) Khatamun Nabiyyin.
He said Pakistan is constructively engaged with various human rights mechanisms under UN auspices and plays a positive role as a bridge-builder across diverse political and regional perspectives at the UN.
He said progressive legislation, administrative reforms, and institution building, our actions are particularly aimed at the disadvantaged by seeking to reduce inequalities and expand access to education, health-care and employment opportunities. He said poverty alleviation, empowerment of women and youth, achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring equality of opportunities, and justice for all segments of the society are at the center of Pakistan’s human rights priorities.
