Says the document will be shared with UN, intl community

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday unveiled a dossier, claiming that it contained details of the alleged human rights violations committed by the Indian authorities in Kashmir.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi along with National Security Adviser Moeed Yousaf and Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari launched the 131-page document at a press conference in Islamabad.

“We decided that we should play our role and unveil the real face of this (India) government claiming to be the world’s largest democracy,” he said, adding that the dossier will be shared with the UN and the rest of the international community.

India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

New Delhi has also previously told Islamabad that issues related to Jammu and Kashmir are its internal matter and the country is capable of solving its own problems.

Qureshi said that the dossier is based on 113 references including 26 from the international media, 41 from the Indian think-tanks and only 14 from Pakistan. He asked the UN to record the names of individuals and units involved in the alleged war crimes and impose sanctions on them, PTI reported.

The document also alleged the use of chemical weapons in Kashmir, which Qureshi said was in complete contravention to the Chemical Weapons Convention’ and that it necessitated an impartial international investigation.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated the Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India’s decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of the Article 370 was its internal matter.

India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility.

“This dossier is a step in that direction,” he said. During his brief, Iftikhar pointed out that Indian patronage and training of the militant Islamic State group was a “serious concern”. He alleged that evidence suggested India was operating five training camps in Gulmarg, Raipur, Jodhpur, Chakrata, Anupgarh and Bikaner, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar, while presenting statistics and figures from the dossier, reported daily Dawn.

According to Moeed Yusuf, the NSA: “My request would be to remember that this dossier and its timing are a tribute to Geelani sahab. His whole life was spent for this purpose but the struggle continues and we have to bring it to completion.”

Qureshi said protecting fundamental human rights was not just the state’s responsibility but there were international obligations, instruments and mechanisms to ensure their protection and that they should be fulfilled.

“The UN must compel India to allow access to special procedure mandate holders of the UN Human Rights Council for an independent investigation of human rights violations taking place in Kashmir,” he said.

“The UN department of peacekeeping operations must note the names of individuals and units in Kashmir who have been directly responsible for human rights violations. They should be identified, named and disallowed to be part of UN peacekeeping operations.”

Agencies

KR Desk