“Families of the arrested are deeply concerned as their fate remains unknown,” said Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson, Nafees Zakaria, at his weekly press briefing in Islamabad today.
“We urge international community, particularly the prominent human rights organizations, to take notice of the genocide and crimes against humanity being committed by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir,” said Zakaria seeking help “to stop the bloodshed and human rights violations in Kashmir”.
Referring to UN Human Rights Commissioner’s statements on Kashmir in which he expressed his serious concern over grave human rights violations in Kashmir, Zakaria said, “Pakistan has once again called for a fact-finding mission to the region.”
“We strongly condemn continued Indian brutalities in occupied Jammu & Kashmir in which Indian occupation forces have martyred more than 110 civilians and over 15,000 are injured with many in critical condition,” he said in the presser record of which was posted on the website of Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry.
“We deplore the inhuman Indian act of deliberately shooting into the eyes of Kashmiris, including children, using pellets guns, which has caused severe eye injuries to about 850 people, over 160 of whom have become permanently blind while hundreds partially.”
Kashmir is witnessing public uprising since July 09, 2016 which was triggered by the death of popular militant commander Burhan Wani on July 08, 2016.
Pakistan has been urging the international community, including the United States, to take note of the “inhuman and degrading” treatment “being meted out to” innocent civilians including the women, children, elderly and patients, in Kashmir, Zakaria said.
“In this regard,” he told the media, “our Ambassador in Washington, Jalil Abbas Jilani, met Ambassador Richard Olson, the U S Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the State Department and handed over a dossier containing information on the gross human rights violations by the Indian security forces in Kashmir.” “You are aware that visits by the Prime Minister’s Special Envoys on Kashmir are also being undertaken to various countries, including the U S, to sensitize their governments on the gross human rights violations committed by the Indian security forces.”
Zakaria said that Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani has been kept under prolonged house detention despite his ailing health.
“His house has been converted into a sub-jail,” he said. “We are deeply concerned about the health condition of JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik who has developed life-threatening heart problems due to inhuman treatment meted out to him during his illegal detention.”
“Hurriyat Leaders, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Shah, Masarat Alam, and many others also remain under detention. A couple of days back popular Kashmiri women’s leader Ms Aasiyeh Andrabi, Chairperson Dukhtaran-e-Millat, has also been arrested,” Zakaria said adding, “Pakistan condemns detention/arrests of the Kashmiri Leaders, who are peacefully struggling for their Right to Self Determination, promised to them in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”
Zakaria also referred to the Joint Declaration signed by Pakistan and President of Belarus which states that ‘Kashmir dispute should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council’s Resolutions on Kashmir’.
Answering a question related to the claims of “surgical strikes by Indian army along LoC”, Zakaria said, “falsified and irresponsible statements can only escalate tensions and are indeed a threat to the regional peace and security, which India sought to create on purpose. “
On September 29, Indian army DGMO said that his soldiers “carried out surgical strikes along LoC in Pakistan Kashmir”.
“UNMOGIP also visited the area and found nothing in support of the Indian claim,” Zakaria asserted.
“We have seen comments of the Spokesperson of the UN Secretary General, which categorically reject the Indian claim. The UNMOGIP has the mandate to observe the situation on the LoC and its assessment is highly valuable,” he added.
Zakaria did not confirm whether Pakistani and Indian National Security Advisers established contact as was reported recently by newspapers.
On the question that the United States removed an online petition seeking to declare Pakistan a “terrorist state”, Zakaria revealed, “we understand that such moves are based on the views and personal motives of individuals. In this particular case, it was a malicious move by some members of the Indian-American community, and does not in any way reflect the policy or views of either the U S Administration or the Congress. Obviously, the White House saw through the real motivation behind this move and acted rightly in rejecting the petition.”
On the issue of Indus Water Treaty (IWT), Zakaria said, “the IWT is not time barred and was never intended to be time or event specific. It is binding on both India and Pakistan and has no exit provision. The international community should take notice of Indian claims that are indeed a violation of India’s obligations and commitments under the Treaty.”
“According the sub-provisions (3) and (4) of the Article XII of the IWT, the Treaty cannot be altered or revoked unilaterally,” he said, “Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation and would respond accordingly.”