Pakistan calls on UNSC, HRC to take congnisance of Indian aggression

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday called upon the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council to take cognisance of Indian air force’s violation of the Line of Control (LoC) and breach of international law, which constituted threat to international peace and security.

“Pakistan condemns the unprovoked Indian aggression across the LoC. This demonstrates yet another violation of international law by India, and Pakistan will respond and exercise its right to self-defence in accordance with the provisions of international law and UN Charter,” said Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari while speaking at the 40th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a message reaching here said.

Indian military planes had violated the LoC early on Tuesday, intruding from the Muzaffarabad sector, following which Pakistan Air Force jets were scrambled, forcing the Indian aircraft to beat a hasty retreat while jettisoning their payload.

The minister said ‘the event was a stark reminder that when internationally recognised disputes were left to fester and grave violations of human rights fell on deaf ears, peace and security issues face serious perils’.

She said India obfuscated its guilt and crimes in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) by denying the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory – contrary to UN Security Council resolutions.

Given the active nature of armed conflict in IOK, she said the situation there must also be examined within the perspective of international humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Convention.

It is a matter of grave urgency that India is asked to adhere to its commitments in these conventions to which it is a party, the minister said, and added that so far over 100,000 Kashmiris had died in their struggle to get freedom from Indian occupation.

She called upon the Human Rights Council to fulfil its mandate and to urge India to implement recommendations of the Kashmir report and grant the Kashmiri people their inalienable right to self-determination through a UN supervised plebiscite as mandated by numerous UN Security Council resolutions.

Pakistan endorses High Commissioner Bachelet’s call for urgent implementation of the recommendations of the OHCHR report, she said and added that in this regard, Pakistan welcomes the report’s proposal to establish a commission of inquiry for international investigation into human rights violations. She said Pakistan also welcomed the European Parliament’s Human Rights Committee for endorsing the same last week in Brussels.

Mazari said Islamabad would welcome the commission to Azad Kashmir but would expect India to do the same too. “Pakistan has already received an independent human rights commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in AJK,” she said and added that unfortunately India has denied them access.

As a founding member of the council, the minister said Pakistan had played an active role and would continue to do so by supporting and contributing to all its processes.

Source: The Express Tribune