Pakistan hands over dossier to UN on human rights violations in Kashmir

UNITED NATIONS: Special envoys on Kashmir handed over a dossier to the President of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Peter Thomson, highlighting grave human rights violations in the Indian-held Kashmir.

Senator Mushahid Hussain and Dr Shezra Mansab Ali accompanied by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi presented the dossier to Mr Thomson in Washington, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan Mission to the UN.

 

Sp envoys of our PM, Senator Mushahid & MNA Dr Ali called on President of general assembly to brief him on Kashmir pic.twitter.com/UT6oK4Mv9g

— Maleeha Lodhi (@LodhiMaleeha) October 11, 2016

The envoys briefed the UNGA President about an ugly face of human rights violation by Indian forces in the held valley in a bid to suppress the decades-long Kashmir freedom movement.

Dr Ali detailed the killings of innocent and peaceful Kashmiri demonstrators and injuries caused by the use of pellet guns by Indian forces.

“The use of pellet guns – a particularly barbaric manifestation of the use of force – was blinding hundreds of Kashmiris including children, women and men,” Dr Ali told the UNGA President.

Senator Hussain informed Mr Thomson about the war hysteria stoked by India to distract world attention from its brutal atrocities in Kashmir, as Delhi wanted to suppress the demand of the Kashmiri people for self-determination.

“India has closed all doors to bilateral dialogue, scuttled the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit, rejecting to implement security council resolutions on the global front,” said Senator Hussain.

He added that India’s attitude was an imminent threat to peace and security in the region.

The UNGA President expressed concern at the situation in Kashmir and assured the visiting envoys that he would do everything possible to foster peace in the disputed region.

“I will get an update on the current situation from the UN Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO),” said Mr Thomson.

Senator Mushahid Hussain and Dr Shezra Mansab Ali also met the DPKO officials and briefed them on the prevailing uncertainty at the Line of Control (LoC), a de facto border in Kashmir between Pakistan and India.

They reiterated PM Nawaz’s proposal to expand operations of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to avoid border escalations.

Senator Hussain said that Pakistan would continue to support Kashmir cause morally, politically and diplomatically in their quest for freedom.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has dispatched special envoys to major capitals of the world to explain the world of the deplorable human rights situation in the held Kashmir, garnering support for the Kashmiri struggle.