Zakaria wants India to be held accountable for rights abuses

LONDON: Pakistan’s High Commissioner Mohammad Nafees Zakaria has called upon the international community to intervene to stop bloodshed and genocide of the voiceless and defenceless people of Kashmir and stop Indian atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and also call India to account for its crimes against humanity.

He was speaking at a day-long photo exhibition organised by the High Commission on Tuesday to mark one year of illegal measures of August 5 2019 by India and the ensuing military siege in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K), said a statement.

Heart-wrenching depictions of the human rights violations and abuses in IOJ&K -- documented and widely reported by the UN offices, INGOs, volunteers and international media -- highlighted the plight of the Kashmiris at the event.

Zakaria said the High Commission was organising a series of events to observe Youm-e-Istehsal on Wednesday, adding: “One year ago, on 5 August 2019, India took unilateral and illegal measures to change the status of IOJ&K and since then the entire population is living under Indian military siege.”

Observing social distancing, Kashmiri community and British friends of Kashmir visited the exhibition in small groups during the day and paid tribute to the Kashmiri victims and expressed solidarity with the besieged Kashmiri people. They also laid flowers in front of the photos to pay homage to the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people rendered during their rightful struggle for self-determination.

Earlier, the High Commissioner participated in a virtual international parliamentary conference on Kashmir, jointly organised by Jammu and Kashmir Self Determination Movement International (JKSDMI) and Youth Parliament of Pakistan (YPP).

In his remarks, Zakaria highlighted the ongoing human rights abuses being committed by Indian occupation forces and called for delivery of justice to the Kashmiri victims. He laid emphasis on bringing the perpetrators of crimes against humanity to account, saying: “There is sufficient evidence available in the form of documented accounts of human rights abuses prepared by the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, IPTK (Institut Penyelidikan Tingkahlaku Kesihatan), Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and international media to hold India accountable.”

President Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan, several British and Pakistani parliamentarians, and Kashmiri leaders addressed the conference. Raja Najabat Hussain, Chairman JKSDMI moderated the event.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Syed Zulfikar Bukhari, who was on an official visit to the High Commission for consultation with the High Commissioner, also witnessed the exhibition. He appreciated the exhibition and said it would help raise awareness about ongoing human rights violations in IOJ&K.

The High Commissioner briefed the SAPM on services and facilitation provided by the mission for the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bukhari interacted with the officers of the High Commission and updated them on various initiatives of the government, particularly its people centric policies.