Pak urges int’l community to prevent humanitarian catastrophe in IHK: FO

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged international community especially permanent members of UN Security Council to help prevent humanitarian catastrophe in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

In his weekly news briefing in Islamabad Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the world should take urgent notice of genocide and crimes against humanity being committed by Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir.He said Indian state sponsored terrorism has led to shortage of medicines, food, water and basic amenities of life.

The spokesperson said so far 110 civilians have been killed and 1,500 injured by Indian forces. He also pointed out that entire leadership of APHC has been put behind bar and is being meted out inhuman treatment. He said Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Yaseen Malik is not being released despite having life threatening heart problem and women leader Aasia Andrabi has also been arrested.

Nafees Zakaria said plight of Kashmiris is gradually getting attention of the world community and many parliamentarians and human rights organizations are sensitizing their governments and public opinion about brutalities against Kashmiris.

He also referred to the just concluded visit of Belarus President and pointed out that Belarus has demanded peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions.

The spokesman rejected as speculative an article published by a newspaper alleging diplomatic isolation of Pakistan.

To a question, Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan is closely monitoring India’s threatening statements and posture on Indus Basin Treaty and would respond firmly to safeguard national interests.He said the treaty is not time barred and it is binding on both India and Pakistan. He said the treaty cannot be altered or revoked unilaterally.

Nafees Zakaria stressed Pakistan had not violated the Line of Control (LoC) and violations had always been carried out by India.

The spokesman said positive voices in India were being silenced and this was condemnable.  He pointed to irresponsible Indian statements and said these were harmful for regional peace. The spokesman told reporters that the Indian High Commissioner had been summoned and the New Delhi’s claim of ‘surgical strikes’ was raised.

According to Nafees Zakaria, all political parties were united on the issue of Kashmir and it was time that the international community took notice of human rights violations in the occupied valley. “International community should send a fact-finding mission in Kashmir,” Zakaria said.

The spokesperson confirmed that Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani on the sidelines of Brussels conference on Afghanistan. He said the two sides discussed efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan including role of Quadrilateral Group.