PM’s aide on human rights calls on FM

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Mushaal Hussein Mullick, along with her daughter Raziyah Sultan, called on Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Tuesday at the Foreign Office. The two agreed to increase global awareness about the rights violations in IIOJK.

“I received SAPM on Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Ms Mushaal Mullick. We discussed ways to enhance collaboration between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Human Rights and increase global awareness about the ongoing human rights violations in IIOJK,” the foreign minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The discussion focused on enhancing collaboration between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Human Rights and projecting Pakistan’s point of view at international fora, including the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly, said the Foreign Office.

The Foreign Office has not yet announced the expected visit to New York by Prime Minister Kakar to attend the United Nations General Assembly session and make his maiden address on September 22. He is expected to be accompanied by the foreign minister. There are expectations that Ms Mullick would also be a part of the prime minister’s delegation. Traditionally, the issue of IIOJK is always highlighted by the Pakistani prime minister. India has already announced that Prime Minister Modi would not be attending and instead would be represented by Foreign Minister Jaishankar.

The foreign minister and SAPM also discussed the plight of thousands of political activists, journalists and human rights defenders, who have been arrested by the Indian authorities in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “They expressed grave concern over the Indian authorities’ fresh plea to seek the death penalty for one of the most important Kashmiri leaders, Yaseen Malik, who was awarded a life sentence, last year. They emphasized the urgent need for the release of all political prisoners, halting human rights violations, reversal of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, and implementation of the UN Security Council Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir so that the Kashmiri people could realize their inalienable right to self-determination,” added the Foreign Office.

In her post on X, Ms Mullick said, “I called upon Mr Jalil Jilani, Honourable Foreign Minister of Pakistan. Our discussion focused on the plight of thousands of Kashmiri political prisoners of IIOJK. We both expressed grave concern over the Indian authorities’ fresh plea to seek the death penalty for one of the most prominent Kashmiri leaders Mohammad Yasin Malik. Raziyah Sultan (my daughter) also accompanied me.”