NCHR demands HRIs to raise voice against brutalities in IHK

Islamabad: National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) on Friday demanded the international Human Rights Institutions (HRIs) to raise voice against the brutalities of Indian forces in the occupied Kashmir.

In a statement issued by the Commission, NCHR Chairman Justice (r) Ali Nawaz Chowhan strongly condemned the killings and persecution of innocent people of Kashmir at the hands of Indian forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district as the stories of brutal assassinations have become a common occurrence in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

On the issue, NCHR chairman is of the view that United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner must order a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the atrocities in Kashmir. "India which is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) must be held responsible for its actions and the Human Rights Commission of India who is snoozing over the actions of Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir is very unfortunate."

The statement says that the struggle for freedom by the people of Occupied Kashmir needs to end and a proper political solution should be sought out because 70 years of torture and threats to a valley of people is against the rights professed by the Human Rights Charter and Chairman NCHR further said that people of Kashmir must be allowed to decide their fate. The Government of Pakistan has serious concern over the grave human rights abuses in Kashmir. The Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the killing of innocent civilians as a result of the atrocities of Indian security forces in occupied Kashmir’s Pulwama area.

He further said that the issue of “India’s human rights violation in Indian-occupied Kashmir” will be raised and the UN Security Council will be demanded to fulfill its Jammu and Kashmir plebiscite commitment. Likewise, Minister for Human Rights Dr. Mazari also condemned the ongoing atrocities of Human Rights in Occupied Kashmir and she stated that in line with the UNHR Council’s Report, there is a need to demand establishment of an inquiry commission. She said we should move to HR Council to have investigative commission to investigate human rights abuses and violations in IOK.

Similarly, Pakistan, Foreign Minister while addressing the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), Shah Mahmood Qureshi said: “I am not talking about the [Kashmir] issue; I am talking about humanity.” Keeping view of the Government stance over the atrocities in the Occupied Kashmir the Chairman National Commission for Human Rights, Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan standing in line with the Government of Pakistan and as NCHR is body which was created under the United Nations Paris Principles strongly condemns of the genocide of the people of Kashmir at the hand of the Indian Military forces. Furthermore, NCHR will raise its voice in the United Nation over the issue and also offer its services to the Government in this connection.

Other counter parts of the NCHR must also raise the voice against such brutal killing of the innocent people as human rights commissions of countries are bestowed to protect and promote human rights and whether this killing is in Kashmir or elsewhere, it is the violation of human rights and NHRIs of the world must raise their voice onthis issue.