Lauds AI’s role in highlighting IOJ&K situation
Observer Report
New York
United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Sunday met Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is in New York to attend United Nations General Assembly.
They discussed various issues including Afghan peace process during the meeting which lasted for 40 minutes. Khalilzad also conveyed the message of President Donald Trump to Premier Imran, a news channel reported.
Earlier in the day, Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International met Prime Minister Imran to discuss worsening human rights situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5.
“Worsening human rights situation in IOK as a result of an excruciating clampdown by Indian occupying authorities” was discussed at the meeting, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said in a tweet.
PM Imran appreciated the lead role that Amnesty was playing in presenting the real state of human rights in the occupied territory and amplifying the voices of the Kashmiri population in a state of seven-week long lockdown. These efforts had helped raise international community’s awareness about the continuing suffering of the Kashmiri people, he added.
The premier lauded Amnesty’s report on the use of pellet guns by India and their devastating impact on Kashmiri youth.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was also present at the meeting, noted that the two UN reports on Kashmir served as a strong basis for continued civil society advocacy in support of the Kashmiri people. Naidoo briefed PM Imran on Amnesty’s advocacy work on Kashmir including #LetKashmirSpeak. He updated him on the right group’s work relating to climate justice and suggested consideration of global south advocacy by the prime minister on a range of climate change related issues.
On Saturday, Kashmir Study Group founder Farooq Kathwari met him and discussed the prevailing situation in Occupied Kashmir. During the meeting, the premier highlighted India’s illegal and unilateral actions of August 5 and the inhuman 50-day-long lockdown of over eight million Kashmiris.
Kathwari, on the occasion, highlighted the Kashmir Study Group’s earlier engagement on the Kashmir issue and efforts for conflict resolution.
The prime minister directed him to expose the real face of fascist Modi regime before the world.
