Ambassador Jilani gives ‘evidence’ on human rights violations in held Kashmir to US special envoy

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States (US) Jalil Abbas Jilani on Tuesday handed over ‘evidence’ on human rights violations in India-held Kashmir (IHK) to US special envoy Richard Olson.

During their meeting at the US State Department, Ambassador Jilani stressed that the international community, especially the US, should take note of the inhuman and degrading treatment of innocent civilians in held Kashmir, including women, children, the elderly and patients.

Jilani told Olson, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, that the US, being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, should impress upon India to immediately end state-sponsored terrorism against innocent civilians who have been indiscriminately targeted by Indian forces.

He also emphasised that India could not unilaterally deny the Kashmiris right to self-determination granted by the UN and underscored the international community’s responsibility to ensure India, as a UN member, allows access to international human rights and humanitarian organisations to assess the situation in IHK.

Recalling Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent statement that Kashmiris and Pakistanis were inseparable, Ambassador Jilani reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu & Kashmir for realisation of their legally promised right to self-determination.

The ambassador’s meeting with Olson comes a day after political leaders during an ‘All Parties Conference’ resolved to raise the Kashmir issue at various international fora and said they stood united against Indian ‘aggression’ and violation of human rights in India-held Kashmir.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been simmering since an Indian crackdown on dissent in India-held Kashmir following the killing by Indian forces of Burhan Wani, a young separatist leader, in July.

Pakistan has strongly condemned Indian atrocities against the people of IHK. The use of pellet guns by Indian troops in the region have blinded over 700 Kashmiris, while more than 100 people have been killed.