ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP):A delegation and Kashmiri expatriates from Europe held a protest outside the United Nations office in Geneva, calling for international action over alleged human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and implementation of long-standing UN resolutions on the Kashmir dispute. According to a press release received here on Saturday, the protesters urged the international community to strengthen monitoring of the human rights situation in the region …
Kashmir activists protest outside UN office in Geneva, seek action on rights violations
ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP):A delegation and Kashmiri expatriates from Europe held a protest outside the United Nations office in Geneva, calling for international action over alleged human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and implementation of long-standing UN resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.
According to a press release received here on Saturday, the protesters urged the international community to strengthen monitoring of the human rights situation in the region and take steps to ensure accountability for alleged violations.
They called on the UN Security Council to take measures to implement its resolutions concerning the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their political future.
The protesters also raised concerns over what they described as efforts to alter the demographic composition of Kashmir through changes in land policies, religious matters and other measures.
They condemned the continued use of laws including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA), alleging that these laws are being used to restrict political activity and suppress the voices of civil society members, human rights defenders and political leaders.
The demonstrators also expressed concern over the treatment of Kashmiri political prisoners and cited the case of political leader Yasin Malik and other detainees. They called for international monitoring of legal proceedings and the treatment of Kashmiri prisoners.
The protesters further raised concerns about militarization, religious sites and routes, environmental degradation and climate-related impacts in the ecologically sensitive region.
They called for greater international attention to the situation and urged the United Nations to take effective measures regarding the Kashmir dispute.
The demonstration was addressed by former Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Chaudhry Pervaiz Ashraf, Chairman of the Kashmir Institute/Kashmir Commission Altaf Hussain Wani, President of the Peace Forum Zahid Hashmi, Hurriyat leader Advocate Pervaiz Ahmed Shah, Dr Raja Sajjad Latif, Shamim Shawl, Dr Ashraf and other Kashmiri representatives.
