Pakistan slams extrajudicial killing of 13 Kashmiris by Indian troops

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan slams the extrajudicial killing of 13 Kashmiris in a single day by Indian troops in Indian-occupied Kashmir, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

The ministry said Pakistan was deeply concerned over unabated extrajudicial killings of Kashmiri youth in fake encounters and so-called “anti-infiltration” operations.

“While the international community is preoccupied with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, India is busy intensifying its brutalisation of the Kashmiri people,” it said, adding that the killing of the Kashmiris speaks volumes about Indian government’s continuing crimes against humanity.

“To hide these crimes, the Indian authorities use the oft-repeated, unsubstantiated allegations of 'training' and 'infiltration' of Kashmiri resistance fighters,” the Foreign Office said. “India must realise that its malicious propaganda carries no credibility with the international community. The RSS-BJP combine stands exposed before the world for its illegal and inhuman actions and extremist ‘Hindutva’ agenda.”

The Foreign Office added, “India must realise that neither can its brutalisation break the will of the Kashmiri people nor can its anti-Pakistan propaganda divert attention from India’s state-terrorism and egregious violations of human rights in occupied Kashmir.”

It added the martyrdom of each Kashmiri will further fortify people’s resolve for freedom from Indian occupation. “Kashmiris will never give up their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the UNSC resolutions and the leadership and people of Pakistan will never flinch in their commitment of full support for the Kashmiris towards that end.”

The Foreign Office further urged the international community to take immediate steps to stop India from committing serious crimes against the Kashmiri people and hold it accountable under international law and relevant human rights Conventions.