GENEVA: Speaking at the UNHRC’s 42nd session here today Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mehmood Qureshi has stated that Indian Forces had transformed Occupied Kashmir into the biggest jail of the World and warned of a possible genocide in the valley.
Maintaining that the people of Kashmir were suffering systemic and serial violations of their fundamental freedoms, virtually caged by an illegal military occupation for the past six weeks, FM addressed the Council’s president to hold: “…it lays bare the real character of a country that pretends to be a bastion of democracy, federalism and secularism.”
Urging UNHRC to pay heed to the plight of the Kashmiri people and to address the warning signs of a looming human catastrophe, FM said that Kashmir had been transformed by India into the largest prison in the planet where basic amenities and means of communication were not accessible.
FM told that shops and hospitals in the region were running out of supplies and the political leadership of Kashmir had been placed under house arrest or imprisoned: “6,000 individuals had been arrested without due process of law.” he added.
FM warned that the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir were apprehending the worst. Pointing to the Genocide Convention he stated that with respect to that Kashmiris (as a national, ethnic, racial and religious group of people) faced grave threats to their lives, way of living and livelihoods from a “murderous, misogynistic and xenophobic regime.”
Addressing the delegates from all over the globe FM held: “Today, I have knocked on the doors of the Human Rights Council, the repository of the world’s conscience on human rights, to seek justice and respect for the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir…We must not allow this august body to be embarrassed on the world stage.
“As a founding member of this Council, Pakistan feels morally and ethically bound to prevent this from occurring,” he stressed, adding that in order to do so the body should not remain indifferent to the tragedy that was unfolding in Kashmir…
“We must not let political, commercial, and parochial considerations cloud and impair our thoughts and action…We must act decisively and with conviction.”
Earlier FM took to the Twitter to state: “Pakistan will speak definitively at the UNHRC Session in Geneva on the continued Indian Atrocities in Kashmir. As High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said: ‘The People of Kashmir must be consulted and engaged in any decision-making processes’.”
FM said that at the root of this mayhem is India’s refusal to grant the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir their right of self-determination: “This seven-decade-old travesty of justice, has been compounded by the present Indian government’s nefarious and twisted dream – outlined explicitly in the ruling party’s manifesto – to turn, by force of arms, Jammu and Kashmir’s Muslim majority community into a minority.”
Rejecting Indian stand that Occupied Kashmir was its internal matter, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that in order to cover its atrocities up India was projecting Kashmiris as terrorists, that he said was “shameless and indefensible”.
Terming the India’s unilateral decision to revoke Article 370 (on 5th August ) as an illegal under international law, FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated: “With these illegal changes, India’s presence is, by its own yardstick, naked foreign occupation. India’s assertion that these actions are its internal affair is patently false.”
Pakistani Foreign Minister pointed out that Kashmir had been on the agenda of the UN for over 70 years and the meeting of the UN Security Council on 16th of August (2019) attested to this fact.
“What is happening in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir is not a country specific situation in this council’s parlance.”
Foreign Minister of Pakistan appealed UNHRC to urge India to call upon India to allow access to human rights organisations and international media to IoK in order to gauge the state-of-affairs themselves: “”If India has nothing to hide, it should allow unhindered access to the COI, as recommended by the UN High Commissioner. Pakistan stands ready to allow access to the proposed COI or other mechanisms on our side of the Line of Control, together with similar access to Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” he held.
FM has also asked UNHRC to urge India to immediately stop the use of pellet guns, end the bloodshed, lift the curfew, reverse the clampdown and communications blackout, restore fundamental freedoms and liberties, release political prisoners, stop targeting human rights defenders, and fulfill obligations under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and various human rights instruments, as required by international law.
UNHRC has been asked by FM to take measures to bring to justice the perpetrators of human rights violations of Kashmiris and in this context, constitute a commission of inquiry, as recommended by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi also requested UNHRC to authorize the Office of the High Commissioner and the Human Rights Council’s special procedures mandate holders to monitor and report on India’s human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and regularly update the council.
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Earlier Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mehmood Qureshi has taken to the Twitter to state: “Pakistan will speak definitely at the UNHRC Session in Geneva on the continued Indian atrocities in Kashmir. As High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said: ‘ The people of Kashmir must be consulted and engaged in any decision-making processes’.”
Pakistan will present a resolution to UNHRC for consideration by the end of the 42nd session on 27th September.
Relevant pieces published earlier:
FM to present Kashmir case at UNHRC’s 42nd session
GENEVA: Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, who is here to attend the UNHRC’s 42nd session commencing today, will be presenting the case of Kashmir during his speech.
Addressing the delegates converged there from all over the world, FM will not only speak about Indian unilateral and illegal actions in occupied Kashmir but will also highlight threat posed to the region in the result of these actions.
It is pertinent to mention here that not only conventional but nuclear war too is a possibility between India and Pakistan in case state-of-affairs aggravates. Shah Mehmood Qureshi is also expected to talk to leaders of OIC and WHO in Geneva.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he would utilize his stay in Geneva to inform the global community about the grave situation in IoK.
Talking to local and international Media gathered here for reporting Shah Mahmood Qureshi termed the statement of High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Occupied Kashmir encouraging.
It is pertinent to mention here that High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in her message has demanded the lifting of curfew, opening of communication system and rehabilitation of basic human rights of Kashmiris.
FM to present Kashmir case at UNHRC’s 42nd session
GENEVA: Speaking at the 42nd Session of the UNHRC, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet stated that she was deeply concerned about the impact f recent actions of Indian government on the human rights of Kashmiris.
High Commissioner in her introductory speech further pointed out that her office continued to receive reports on the human rights situation on both sides of the line of control: “I am deeply concerned about the impact of recent actions by the Government of India on the human rights of Kashmiris, including restrictions on internet communications and peaceful assembly, and the detention of local political leaders and activists,” Michelle Bachelet held.
“While I continue to urge the governments of India and Pakistan to ensure that human rights are respected and protected, I have appealed particularly to India to ease the current lock-downs or curfews; to ensure people’s access to basic services; and that all due process rights are respected for those who have been detained…It is important that the people of Kashmir are consulted and engaged in any decision-making processes that have an impact on their future.”
Dr Muhammad Faisal , spokesman of the Foreign Office while lauding the serious concerns shown by UN Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet over the prevailing human rights situation in IoK. He pointed out that UN Human Rights High Commissioner’s concerns and calls were consistent with the position taken by the UN apropos the human rights situation in IoK.
Relevant pieces published earlier:
Kashmir Issue: UN monitoring worsening situation!
MANHATTAN: A spokesman to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stated that they obviously continue to follow the situation very closely in Jammu and Kashmir and also reports of restrictions in the Indian-administered side of the Line of Control.
Spokesman held that Secretary-General was “monitoring the worsening situation in Indian occupied Kashmir, especially tightening restrictions and mass arrests.”
MANHATTAN: Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, took to the twitter to inform about her meeting with President UN General Assembly (UNGA) Maria Fernanda Espinosa here today.
Maleeha Lodhi briefed her about the deteriorating situation in occupied Kashmir and maintained that UN should live up to its obligations on Indian occupied Kashmir.
“Met Maria Fernanda Espinosa , President of UN General Assembly & briefed her in detail about the grave situation in occupied Kashmir where the continuing curfew & lockdown is exacerbating the suffering of the Kashmiri people.UN should live up to its obligations on IOK,” Dr. Lodhi wrote.
Pakistan wants UNHRC to send fact-finding team to Kashmir: Aziz
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Thursday said it has approached the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to send a fact-finding team to Kashmir to investigate the alleged human rights violations and atrocities of Indian security forces in Kashmir.
“We have requested UNHRC to send a fact-finding mission to Kashmir (in India) and probe recent killings of innocent Kashmiris,” Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said.
In a press briefing here, Aziz urged the international community to take notice of the situation in Kashmir and extend its support to the Kashmiri people.
He also said that Kashmir cannot be considered internal affair of India as the United Nations has declared it a dispute and India itself made a commitment to hold the plebiscite to determine the will of the Kashmiri people.
The advisor also accused India of using “state-sponsored terrorism to justify illegal occupation over Kashmir.
“India will not be able to legitimise its occupation,” he said.
