Pakistan lodges complaint in UN against India over 'eco-terrorism'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday lodged a complaint in the United Nations Environment Assembly against India over ‘eco-terrorism’, ARY News reported.

Pakistan has raised the matter relating to ‘eco-terrorism’ at UN Environment Assembly (UNEP) in the wake of air strikes that damaged pine trees by India.

Pakistan plans to lodge a complaint against India at the United Nations, over “eco-terrorism” in the wake of air strikes that damaged pine trees, Federal Minister for Climate Change Amin Aslam said.

A dossier, a copy of which obtained by ARY News, has been submitted by Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Khan following directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The document stated that Indian military aircraft had dropped their payload in a ‘reserve’ forest before hastily fleeing back after an intrusion into Pakistan’s territory on February 26.

Islamabad demanded the United Nations (UN) to take notice of illegal incursion into Pakistani airspace perpetrated by the Indian Air Force last month.

The act has clearly violated the Articles 35(3) and 55(1) of Protocol 1 (Additional Protocol) of the Geneva Convention of August 12 – 1949 that prohibits warfare that may ’cause widespread, long term and severe damage to the natural environment,’ the document stated.

The document highlighted that Pakistan’s pristine ‘protected area’ forests and biodiversity were subjected to an aggression in the name of strike, violating the spirit of valuing nature, following ‘eco-terrorism’ which is defined as the ‘destruction or the threat of destruction of the environment by states, groups or individuals in order to intimidate or to coerce governments or civilians.”

Islamabad, in its complaint filed, urged the international community to ask New Delhi to compensate over causing damages to its natural assets, especially trees and forests, on February 26’s brazen attack.

The ‘strike against nature’ ought to be ostracised and condemned across the global community which values nature, it added.

Islamabad authorities demanded the UNEP to strip off “Champion of Earth” title to the [Indian prime minister] Narendra Modi over authorising the illegal action which contradicted ‘green’ rhetoric.

On February 26, Indian warplanes had bombed a hilly forest area near the northern Pakistani town of Balakot, about 40 km (25 miles) from India’s border in the Himalayan region of Kashmir.