Sherry Rehman calls international community ‘silent observer’ on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party leader Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday called the international community a “silent observer” on Kashmir as it observes a black day to mark 69 years of unlawful occupation and atrocities by Indian forces.

Rehman, while addressing a seminar, said that the PPP expresses solidarity with the people of held-Kashmir and demands the international community to contribute in the self-determination of Kashmir under the UN Charter.

She said that it is unfortunate that the international community remains slow to throw its weight behind the Kashmiri cause despite the widespread human rights violations.

“Thousands of innocent people have been brutally martyred – millions orphaned, widowed and mentally disabled. Is this not a clear violation of human rights?” she questioned.

She remarked that the Indian government has given its army the license to commit genocide in occupied Kashmir, but it is ironic that the international community and human rights organizations are playing the role of ‘silent observers.’

The Indian security forces have immunity from prosecution against human rights violations under the Section 7 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990. “Thousands of orphaned daughters, widows and innocent children question at the missing conscience and human rights laws of the world,” the Senator reiterated.

Rehman also strongly condemned the cross border shelling on the working boundary and called it an open attempt to divert attention from Kashmir. “India is exposing its own darker face by shelling innocents in the plains of the Punjab where no cross border crossing or alleged terrorism is possible,” she remarked .

Pointing out at the ill-treatment of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik who has been under attention since the July 9 killing of Burhan Wani, she said that “Today marks the 110th day of curfew in occupied Kashmir but Indian forces have not stopped the persecution, they are firing on unarmed Kashmiris and are keeping political leaders under tight watch”.

She expressed disappointment on the low interest of the government and said that a joint session of Parliament was only summoned on the demand of the PPP, and the Prime Minister did not even have time to attend the session.

She regretted that there is no breakthrough or perception change from the special envoys which the government sent to raise awareness in the international community about the crisis in Kashmir.

The Senator further stated that India should adhere to the UN resolution on Kashmir to find a peaceful solution to this issue because war is not an option.

She said that the PM made a speech at the UN about Kashmir, but one speech in parliament does not make for a policy. The PPP had called for a full operational briefing on Kashmir which was not provided.

She called on to activate parliament and reconstitute the National Security Committee.  She said that a country without a full term foreign minister is a poor advocate by all accounts. She assured that the PPP will continue a robust campaign for moral, diplomatic and political support for the plight of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.