Indian Occupied Kashmir: Pakistan welcomes hearing in US Congress Commission

By Mariana Baabar
November 17, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday welcomed the latest hearing in the Lantos Commission of the US Congress and said that this was ‘another illustration of the world community’s serious concern over the unacceptable situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) and the need to address it urgently’.

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It also appreciated that the US leadership and lawmakers are cognisant of the potential threats to fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, right of self-determination, and peace and stability in the region and are willing to play their due role to help bring the continuing humanitarian nightmare to an end.

The public hearing on human rights in IOK was held by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US Congress at Washington DC.

“The Indian regime must end its illegal occupation of IOK, stop its state-terrorism in the occupied territories, and allow the exercise of right to self-determination to the Kashmiri people as stipulated by the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” commented the Foreign Office.

Pakistan is encouraged that in less than a month after the hearing of the Subcommittee on Asia of the US House of Representatives, the Lantos Commission hearing reflected continued international concern over the situation in IOK.

“Pakistan recognises efforts of Members of the US Congress who have raised their voices of conscience on the ongoing persecution of the people of IOK and called upon the Indian government to end its brutal repression,” added the Foreign Office.

The deliberations of the Commission reinforced internationally recognised disputed nature of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and highlighted gross human rights violations and the humanitarian crisis in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

“A call for an independent fact-finding mission to IOK was made. The right of self-determination of Kashmiri people was also duly underscored during the commission’s proceedings,” noted the Foreign Office.

The general view from Islamabad was that during the hearing international journalists, independent human rights organisations and United Nations Special Rapporteurs should be allowed to visit IOK.

“The witnesses also called for immediate lifting of the communications blockade and restoration of human rights in occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” said the FO.

Overall, it was emphasised that India should not be allowed to continue its oppressive policies as well as religious and ethnic persecution.

Pakistan urged the international community to hold independent investigations into grave human rights violations in the occupied territory. Importantly, the need for the US Congress to play an even greater role in urging India to end its repression in IOK, without succumbing to any political expediency, was emphasised.

The Foreign Office lauded the courage of the panelists who became the voice of innocent Kashmiri people being brutally silenced by India’s communications blockade is laudable.

“They shredded the myth of so-called “largest democracy” and honestly exposed the authoritarian, nationalistic and extremist motivations driving the Indian government’s deplorable and repressive policies,” it said.

The voices at the hearing also expressed their concern that persecution of religious minorities in India, especially manifested in the form of anti-conversion legislation, Babri Masjid verdict, National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam as well as mob violence and lynching were fostering a growing sense of fear among the minorities in India.

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