UN urged to probe killing of Pakistani Hindus in India

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari has demanded United Nations to probe the extrajudicial killings of 11 Pakistani Hindus by India and ensure payment of reparations to families of the deceased, said a press release. In a letter written to UN High Commissioner, she said the extrajudicial executions by Indian security forces in Manipur, have not been fully investigated, and the state of India has failed to fulfill its obligation to carry out a prompt, thorough and effective investigation which is a clear breach to the Vienna Convention.

The minister in the letter demanded the constitution of an investigation team, under the auspices of the UN and urged India to allow the team for conducting a free, fair and impartial investigation into the matter and handing over of the dead bodies of deceased to family members.

It may be recalled that in August 2020, 11 Pakistan Hindus were executed extra judicially in Jodhpur District, of Indian state of Rajasthan.

“There also appears to be a breach by India with respect to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) - the object and purpose of this Convention being inter alia respect for the principle of sovereign equality of States, the maintenance of international peace and security and the promotion of friendly relations among nations”, the letter said.

Reportedly, the deceased include Budhu Ram (80 years), Raivya (35 years), Shamoon (25 years), Antari (75 years), Shrimati Lakshmi (39 years), Shrimati Devi (28 years) and five children, namely Mukadas (16 years), Zain (12 years), Dayaal (12 years), Danish (10 years) and Diya (5 years). Shrimati Mukhi, a surviving member of the family, registered a First Information Report (FIR) No. 219/2020 over the murder of her family members. She has alleged that the Indian intelligence agency, RAW, was behind the murder.

In light of this blatant denial of justice and breach of international norms, I request from your office the following interventions:

First, constituting an investigation team, under the auspices of the UN and urging India to allow the investigation team to conduct a free, fair and impartial investigation into the extrajudicial executions.

Second, recommending to India that it hand over the dead bodies of the deceased to family members, in line with international human rights standards.

Third, communicating to India the need to respect international law, in particular international human rights law to which it is a State Party, by ending impunity for the conduct of officials involved in gross human rights violations.

Fourth, counseling India to ensure payment of reparations to the family of the deceased.

As this incident falls within the broader pattern of human rights violations, being carried out on a State level, it is imperative that accountability be ensured, she added.

“I write to you in the hope that these extrajudicial executions will not meet the same fate, i.e. denial of justice. In this vein, I am cognisant of the need to ensure the collective involvement of all human rights organisations in this quest for justice, accountability and bringing an end to the culture of impunity for extrajudicial executions perpetrated by Indian security forces' personnel. Accordingly, copies of this letter are being shared with human rights organisations and special procedures that have repeatedly raised concerns over the State of India's practice of extrajudicial executions, the letter added.