Qureshi says UN chief should play role in protecting lives of innocent Kashmiris, apprise P4 members; UN watching alarming situation in IOK: Guterres
Staff reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan has demanded the United Nations to take serious notice of the deteriorating human rights situation in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and play its role in lifting curfew and other restrictions Kashmiris are facing for the last 20 days.The message was conveyed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during a telephonic conversation with UN chief Antonio Guteress, who is in France attending the G7 summit, on Saturday.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad following the conversation, Qureshi said he expressed serious concern over humanitarian crisis in IOK for the fourth time to the UN chief. “I urged the UN to step forward immediately and play its role in protecting lives of innocent Kashmiris on war footing,” he added.
“UNSC resolutions entice you to act at the earliest. I also ask the UN chief to play his role in removing curfew in Kashmir and apprise P4 members over the whole situation.”Qureshi said that he conveyed the Pakistani government’s gratitude to UNHCHR’s recent report on human rights violations in IOK. He also invited the UN chief to visit South Asia and Jammu and Kashmir region despite his tight schedule.
“The situation demands the UN chief to visit South Asia and especially the whole region of Kashmir on both sides of the border despite his tight schedule. So he can witness the situation on the ground and inform the world about it.”
The foreign minister said Kashmiris await international community’s backing and “if they [the world] disappoint them then they will be compelled to use any means to defeat this fascism by the Modi government.”
“After listening to my views and concerns, the UN chief said he would continue his efforts and convey our concerns to the world,” said Qureshi. “The UN chief told me that he briefed the UNSC members over human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. He said all members desired peaceful resolution of the issue. We also desire the same solution, but for the last 20 days, there’s a lockdown in the valley in gross human rights violations,” said the foreign minister.
Commenting on prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the foreign minister said when people wanted to march towards UN office in Srinagar to record their protest on Friday, they were attacked by Indian forces with pallet guns and teargas shells.
“I salute those who capture scenes in IOK through their mobile phone so the world knows what’s happening in the occupied valley.” Commenting on Saturday’s development at
Shah Mahmood Qureshi drew attention to the increasingly apparent divisions within India after an 11-member contingent of its opposition parties was prevented from visiting Srinagar in occupied Kashmir, as a security clampdown there entered its 20th day.
“This is the true face of the Indian government which the world is witnessing today,” said the foreign minister.
“Today the fascist attitude of the Modi administration was demonstrated at the Srinagar airport,” he said, referring to the arrest of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders shortly after they landed.
“I call upon democratic nations of the world to view that footage. When they treat their own this way, what expectation can be had when we [Pakistan] are told to hold a dialogue with them?” said Qureshi.
He then highlighted the stifling communications blockade in the disputed territory which had forced media to use whatever “broken equipment” they have to record footage and send it out through their relatives.
