ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday regretted decision of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) led by the US, UK, France, Germany and Belgium for rejecting its proposal to designate two Indians - Gobinda Patnaik and Angara Appaji - as terrorists.
"Pakistan has always stressed the need for de-politicization of and transparency in the UN sanctions regime for its effectiveness and credibility," said Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry. He said "these Indian nationals are wanted criminals in Pakistan for their involvement in many high-profile terrorist attacks and are currently residing in India under state protection."
He continued that Pakistan had provided sufficient evidence to the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee including information about financial support, travel record and training camps established by this Indian terrorism syndicate to foment terrorism and instability in Pakistan.
The FO spokesman maintained that Pakistan would continue to expose Indian sponsorship of terrorist entities such as the TTP, the JUA, and others. He observed that the inhuman military siege, communications blockade, media blackout and continued restrictions on all forms of freedom of Kashmiri people in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) had continued unabated for 395 days.
He maintained that in further acts of unabated state terrorism over the past one week, the Indian Occupation forces had martyred 20 more Kashmiris, in fake and staged encounters.
"Over 300 innocent Kashmiris, including women and children, have been martyred in fake encounters and so-called cordon and search operations during the last one-year," he added.
He strongly condemned the use of tear gas shells and firing of pellets on Muslims taking part in the Muharram procession in the IIOJK. The Foreign Office observed that due to the illegal and indiscriminate use of pellets, dozens of Kashmiris were seriously injured, including on the eyes, causing permanent blindness.
Indiscriminate targeting of civilians with pellet guns, causing excessive and permanent injuries and even deaths, is a clear violation of human rights and humanitarian law, Pakistan stated.
The government of India is in clear violation of the United Nations' Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.
Pakistan observed that the BJP leadership was directly responsible for the illegal actions of the Indian occupation forces.
"No illegal Acts, such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA), can provide a legal cover to a crime recognized as such by international law," he added.
Pakistan condemned the Indian government's decision to forcibly impose Hindi language on the Kashmiri people in IIOJK through the "Jammu and Kashmir Languages Bill, 2020", approved by the Indian cabinet.
The decision was a part of the BJP regime's condemnable design to deprive the Kashmiris of their distinct culture and identity, he said. The move was also said to be further aimed at facilitating an illegal change in the demographic structure of the occupied territory in violation of international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention.
"Pakistan and the people of Kashmir reject Indian attempts to impose illegal and unilateral decisions in IIOJK against the wishes of the majority," he said. "The international community must take cognizance of the series of illegal Indian decisions and actions taken since August 5, 2019 and act in support of the human rights of the Kashmiri people," the statement read.
Pakistan also expressed deep concern at the worsening human rights situation and treatment of minorities in India under the BJP's 'Hindutva' inspired regime. Referring to the Amnesty International's report, he stated that the "findings of Amnesty International's Investigative Briefing of August 28, 2020, had documented serious and systemic human rights violations committed by Delhi police during the February 2020 Delhi riots."
The FO added that these findings are both worrisome and challenging for the collective conscience of the international community. "The violations documented by Amnesty International field investigation include Delhi police officers indulging in violence with the rioters; torturing in custody; using excessive force on protesters; dismantling protest sites used by peaceful protesters and being mute bystanders as rioters wreaked havoc," he maintained.
According to the Foreign Office, the field investigation is a reaffirmation of Pakistan's stance that the large-scale, targeted violence against Muslims that took place in New Delhi in February 2020 was a direct result of the exclusionary and extremist rhetoric and policies of the BJP-RSS combined.
He further added that the investigation is also a sad testament to how India's entire state security apparatus has been compromised to serve the ideologically motivated objectives of current political dispensation. It also reflects how the extremist ideology had permeated the state institutions of India.
"Pakistan seconds the investigation's recommendation that a prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation needs to be launched into all allegations of human rights violations by law enforcement officials," he added. Responding to a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan is committed to fully implement the International Court of Justice's judgment in Kulbushan Jadhav case and provide consular access to Indian spy.
Regarding recent Islamophobia incidents, the spokesperson strongly condemned the desecration of holy Quran in Sweden and Norway as well as decision by a French magazine to reprint deeply offensive caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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