UNITED NATIONS, Oct 15 (APP):Pakistan has called for a new United Nations report on ongoing human rights violations in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, after a briefing to a key United Nations General Assembly committee by the UN human rights chief, who noted that global conflicts have doubled since 2010.
Marking his appearance shortly after the 193-member Assembly approved his mandate renewal for a second four-year term, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, told the Third Committee that the world was navigating extreme global volatility, systemic geometric inequality, and intensifying armed conflicts.
In this regard, Turk reiterated that modern combat zones—including Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Lebanon, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo —have effectively become human rights wastelands where international law is shamelessly bypassed.
He emphatically declared that “human rights are our greatest source of hope for peace, justice, and sustainability.”
During an interactive dialogue that followed the High Commissioner’s speech, the Acting Pakistan Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, highlighted the continuing denial of the Kashmiri people of their inalienable right to self-determination, in contravention of relevant Security Council resolutions.
Since August 2019, he pointed out that suppression of fundamental freedoms in Indian-Occupied Kashmir had further aggravated the situation.
The high commissioner reports of 2018 and 2019 had documented serious violations and recommended independent investigations, accountability for perpetrators, unhindered access for human rights mechanisms and consideration of an international commission of inquiry, the Pakistani envoy said, pointing out that these recommendations remained unimplemented.
Ambassador Jadoon asked when the next report on Jammu and Kashmir, particularly covering developments since August 2019 in the occupied territory, was expected.
And, what concrete measures have been taken to advance implementation of the recommendations contained in its two previous reports, the Pakistani envoy asked.
The UN rights chief’s response is awaited.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
