Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari Tuesday said the issue of worst human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) would be raised at all the international forums including those that take up issues of abuse of women and children.
Participating in the debate on Kashmir in the National Assembly she said, “The human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir should be highlighted at the forums especially constituted to discuss the abuse of women and children.” The minister said that for the first time the government had effectively focused on human rights diplomacy to project human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. She said the government was continuing a proactive diplomacy on Kashmir dispute and Pakistan’s narrative was being endorsed internationally.
She said due to government’s efforts, UN Security Council discussed the issue of Kashmir after a gap of 50 years. She said the United States Congress, European Union Parliament, United Kingdom, human rights organizations and international media criticized India for its illegal annexation of Jammu and Kashmir.
The minister said Pakistan’s stance was acknowledged due to the speech of Prime Minister Imran Khan at UN General Assembly. She said pressure had been built on the Indian government but a lot more was yet to be done. Dr Shireen condemned the worst human rights violations and brutalities in Occupied Jammu Kashmir.
She said time had come to move beyond rhetoric for the support of Kashmiris, struggling for their right to self-determination and take concrete steps for the solution of Kashmir issue. She said Pakistan’s legitimacy in Kashmir conflict was based on UN resolutions, so Pakistan should not deviate from UN resolutions. India had itself taken Kashmir issue to the United Nations, she added. She criticized the previous government for not effectively raising the Kashmir issue.
She suggested concrete measures to seek assistance of the world for the resolution of Kashmir dispute. Shireen Mazari stressed for UN resolutions implementation on Kashmir issue and said Pakistan should keep pushing for implementation of the resolutions.
