Pakistan asks global community to take notice of Indian tyranny in IHK

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday reached out to the Permanent Members of the Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and USA) over the tense situation in the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) and expressed serious concern over the brutal killings of civilians and violation of their other fundamental human rights by the Indian security forces.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, while meeting with these ambassadors at the Foreign Office, said he urged the international community “to take notice of the gravity of the situation in IHK, call on India to respect human rights of the people of IHK and implement UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.”

“The foreign secretary informed the ambassadors that  due to the excessive use of force against civilians protesting the killing of Burhan Wani, more than 30 innocent people have lost their lives and more than 350 have been injured so far. He emphasised that India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against the individuals responsible for these killings,” the spokesman at the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The foreign secretary emphasised that such inhumane and oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

The international community was asked to differentiate between ‘terrorism’ which everyone is familiar with, and the “right of just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination which cannot be equated with terrorism.”

The harsh reality is that it was not ‘terrorism’ but a case of ‘self-determination’ of the people of held Kashmir which had been moved to the United Nations by no less a person than a former Indian prime minister. As such, the killings of innocent Kashmiri people could not be condoned under the pretext of terrorism.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a high-level emergency meeting to discuss the escalating tensions in the Indian held Kashmir amid anti-India protests that had left at least 28 people dead, it was reported.

While the western capitals watch mutely as Indian security forces unleash a reign of terror, ambassadors of these countries based in Islamabad were also informed that the Pakistan Foreign Office rejected the Indian attempts to claim that the deteriorating human rights situation in IOK was an internal affair of India and emphasised the disputed nature of held Jammu and Kashmir awaiting implementation of the UNSC resolutions.

 Muhammad Saleh Zaafir adds: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has convened a special cabinet meeting on Friday (July 15) at the Governor House, Lahore, to discuss the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir.

The cabinet that is meeting after seven weeks would also discuss the political situation in the country with special reference to the opposition’s planned agitation.In the meanwhile, the government has decided to launch a full-fledged diplomatic offensive across the world to highlight the Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir. Prime Minister Nawaz has issued detailed instructions to the Foreign Office in this regard.

It has been officially stated that the federal cabinet in its meeting would discuss the oppressive actions of Indian security forces against innocent civilians and the overall situation in the occupied area after the brutal assassination of valiant freedom fighter Burhan Wani.

Earlier, on the directions of the prime minister, the Foreign Office summoned the Indian high commissioner to convey strong concerns of the Government of Pakistan and the people on rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the held Kashmir and increasing oppression by Indian security forces. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry conveyed Pakistan’s sentiments to the Indian envoy.

In addition, a detailed briefing was also given to ambassadors of all the permanent members (P-5) of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the atrocities of Indian security forces in occupied Kashmir. The premier will take the cabinet in confidence on these measures and also chalk out future course of action on the issue.

In the meanwhile, sources told The News here on Tuesday evening that Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif would also attend the cabinet huddle on special invitation where the political developments taking place in the absence of the prime minister from the country would be taken up for discussions in an informal manner.

The PM, who underwent complex cardiac surgery in London on May 31, would also brief his cabinet colleagues about the state of his health. He has fully recovered from his ailment, the sources said.

The sources said that Federal Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar would submit his initial report about his recent contacts with different leaders belonging to the opposition on the question of formation of a commission to probe corruption and Panama documents. He will also brief the cabinet on his discussions with the opposition leaders for choreographing of the Terms of References (TORs) for the slated commission as the committee of the two houses of parliament had failed in reaching an agreement for such TORs in its eight meetings.

The prime minister has asked Ishaq Dar to undertake a fresh initiative for the purpose.