ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has “welcomed” a letter written by a group of European parliamentarians to the European Commission on the “alarming humanitarian situation” in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK).
The Foreign Office (FO), in a statement issued today (Saturday), welcomed the letter, saying, “This letter is yet another demonstration of the continuing global censure of the ongoing human rights violations and humanitarian crisis in IoK.”
“Despite India continuously peddling false propaganda in futile attempts to push the sham narrative of so-called ‘normalcy’ in IoK”, criticism of Indian actions had only increased after egregious violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral actions to strip IoK of its special autonomy on August 5, 2019,” it added.
The FO statement noted that various international forums had now debated the issue with international media and human rights organisations were “consistently” raising the topic of humanitarian violations in the territory.
“India must realise that it cannot ignore the international community’s continuing calls to end its grave and systematic human rights violations of the Kashmiri people,” the FO added.
“India will have to ultimately give in to global conscience, end its unabated human rights violations in parts of Jammu and Kashmir under its illegal occupation and take steps for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” it concluded.
Sixteen European lawmakers had addressed a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice President Josep Borrell, urging the European Union to raise its voice on human rights violations in IoK and take action.
“We believe that the EU should use all its leverage and tools to cooperate with our Indian and Pakistani partners to honour the pledge made to the Kashmiris by the international community and create an environment conducive to the implementation of the United Nations resolutions,” the letter reads.
Meanwhile, the region’s political leadership including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Dr Hameed Fayaz, Masarrat Aalam Butt, Aasiya Andrabi, Nayeem Ahmad Khan and numerous other leaders and activists were in house detention or in jails.
