Pakistan urges int’l community to take note of Kashmiris’ oppression

ISLAMABAD, Dec 03 (APP):Pakistan on Thursday said as India martyred another 15 Kashmiris in “unabated state-terrorism” in November, the world community and human rights organizations must take cognizance of brutal suppression of Kashmiris’ rights in utter violation of international laws and conventions.

Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri told reporters here at the weekly briefing that India continued with its “fake encounters” and staged “cordon-and-search” operations which brought critical injuries to 97 Kashmiri youth, while 31 were arbitrarily detained, and many houses destroyed to inflict collective punishment on the Kashmiri communities.

He said the Kashmiris in IIJOK were continuously being subjected to a brutal military siege and inhuman restrictions for an unprecedented 486 days since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019.

“The cold-blooded murders and brutalization of innocent Kashmiris are a clear manifestation of the state terrorism to which unarmed Kashmiris have been subjected to for the past seven decades,” the spokesperson said.

“We continue to call upon the international community, including the United Nations, the human rights organizations and the global media to take cognizance of brutal suppression of the Kashmiri people’s rights and freedoms in utter violation of international laws and conventions.

He said the world community must use all tools at its disposal, to hold India accountable for its serious crimes against the Kashmiri people.

He also pointed to the “despicable spike in Indian propaganda” against Pakistan following the presentation of incontrovertible evidence by Pakistan of India’s active planning, promoting, aiding, abetting, financing and execution of terrorist activities in Pakistan.

“We wish to reiterate our call to the international community, particularly the United Nations counter-terrorism mechanisms to act on the Pakistani Dossier providing irrefutable evidence of Indian state sponsorship of terrorism,” he added.

The FO Spokesperson condemned the recent assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in Tehran.

“We extend sincere condolences to the family members of Mr. Fakhrizadeh and to the Iranian people,” the spokesperson said and added “Pakistan strongly urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation of tensions in the region.”

He welcomed the announcement regarding the agreement reached on rules and procedures by the Afghan parties in Doha and termed it another significant step forward.

The agreement reflects a common resolve of the parties to secure a negotiated settlement, he said, terming it an important development contributing towards a successful outcome of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.

“Pakistan welcomes the announcement regarding the agreement reached on rules and procedures by the Afghan parties in Doha. This is another significant step forward,” he said.

Referring to the recent visit of Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Defence, General Wei Fenghe , he said, it was part of high-level engagement with China.

He said the visit was aimed at further solidifying and expanding Pakistan-China cooperation, particularly in the fields of defense and security.

During the visit, General Wei called on the Prime Minister and the President and held meetings with the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chief of Army Staff and an An MoU for enhancement of defence cooperation between both the Armies, was also signed.

He referred to the Pakistan’s joining of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as a founding member and said DCO would offer a platform to promote the global digital agenda in the scientific, health, educational, commercial, social, agricultural, investment and security spheres.

Recalling the unanimous adoption of Resolution on Jammu and Kashmir reaffirming by the the 47th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC, he said it reaffirmed the OIC’s consistent and principled stance on the dispute.

The resolution had rejected the illegal and unilateral actions by India on August 5, 2019 and demanded that India rescind its illegal steps. It also deplored the state-sponsored terrorism and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces against the people of IIOJK.

He said the Niamey Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of the CFM, also explicitly reiterated “the OIC’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”

The spokesperson said the Resolution expressed deep concern at the recent incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran and reprinting of sketches of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), which hurt sentiments of more than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world, and decided to designate 15th March as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” each year.

He said India unnerved by its continuing international condemnation has barefacedly raised objection on the OIC Resolution on Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan strongly rejects the Indian Ministry of External Affairs statement in this regard as untenable and uncalled-for.”

The OIC Resolution, he said was yet another forceful repudiation of India’s completely flimsy and legally flawed contention that Jammu and Kashmir is its ‘internal’ matter.

Te FO Spokesperson said it was further proof that India can neither hide its gross and systemic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people, nor can it escape international censure of its egregious behavior.

Rather than dismissing the international community’s concerns as reflected in the OIC Resolution, he said, India would be well-advised to stop its state-terrorism in IIOJK and take concrete steps towards resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

APP Services