Geneva: Pakistan has urged United Nations Human Rights Council not to remain passive bystander as India intensifies suppression of fundamental rights and freedoms of people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan’s permanent representative to UN office in Geneva, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi in 47-member Council’s general debate which began in Geneva on Tuesday said, “In face of eerie silence by some members of (Human Rights) Council, crimes of self-professed largest democracy are getting entrenched, and its sense of impunity being rewarded.”

He reiterated Pakistan’s call on Council members to force India to rescind its unlawful actions, halt illegal demographic changes, put an end to human rights abuses, allow access to independent observers and urge Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to issue an updated assessment on Kashmir. “To lend credence to notion of accountability, Council members should act on recommendations of two OHCHR reports for establishment of a Commission of Inquiry on occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” Pakistani envoy said. “This Council cannot afford to remain a passive bystander in face of independent evidence of India’s grave violations. Silence and shielding an oppressor is undermining universal cause of human rights and further eroding credibility of this Council.”

Action on part of UNHRC was necessary as India continues to stonewall calls for access, he said, adding it continues to alter demographic structure of occupied region in blatant defiance of international law, it continues to draw a physical and digital iron curtain, it continues to kill, maim, torture, arbitrarily detain and forcibly disappear Kashmiri youth, women and elderly by invoking canard of “terrorism”.

To hide these crimes, Ambassador Hashmi said, India has muzzled local media, silenced civil society and denied access to independent observers, pointing out that not a single member of Indian forces has ever been punished due to pervasive impunity afforded by draconian laws, a pliant judiciary and hand-picked local administration.

Pakistani envoy also delivered a statement to Council on behalf of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). “Human rights situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains a matter of deep anguish for us,” OIC statement said, urging India to implement applicable UN Security Council resolutions as well as recommendations addressed to it in OHCHR’s two Kashmir reports.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 15 2022

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