Pakistan Continue To Raise Voice For People Of IOK: Bukhari

LONDON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2020 ) :Parliamentary Secretary, Law and Justice, Barrister Maleeka Bukhari Wednesday reiterated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government's commitment to raising voice for the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), at all international fora regarding the gross human rights violation.

She stated this while addressing a press conference at Pakistan High Commission London after attending a seminar on Human Rights Violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir held at British House of Lords today.

She was flanked by Pakistan High Commissioner to United Kingdom Muhammad Nafees Zakaria at the press conference.

Barrister Maleek Bukhari strongly condemned gross violations of human right in Indian occupied Kashmir on the defenceless people who were struggling for their birthright to self-determination.

She said that support for the freedom struggle of people of Indian occupied Kashmir right of self has been increasing at democratic countries like United Kingdom and the United States of America.

They were also now condemning the violations of human rights in the Indian occupied Kashmir.

Highlighting the purpose of her visit to the UK, Barrister Maleeka Bukhari said that he was invited for a seminar on Kashmir organized and hosted by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Director International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute.

Barrister Maleeka Bukhari said that she informed cross-party members of House of Lords regarding the massive violation of Human rights and sexual violence against women and exterminations and genocide of Muslims of Indian occupied Kashmir and denial of their birthright to self determination for the past seven decades in violation of international human rights charter and UNSC resolutions.

Earlier the Speakers at the Seminar on Kashmir at House of Lords condemned Indian atrocities in Indian occupied Kashmir, term human rights violations an international issue.

As the Indian siege of Indian Occupied Kashmir entered 170th day, a seminar was held in the House of Lords today which discussed human rights abuses of Kashmiris by the Indian occupation forces.

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute opened the floor with her introductory remarks for deliberations by the guest speakers who were invited to share their thoughts.

Parliamentary Secretary, Law and Justice, Barrister Maleeka Bukhari MNA, British Parliamentarians namely Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Lord Qurban Hussain, Steve Baker MP, Mark Eastwood MP, Imran Hussain MP and Schona Jolly QC shared their concerns over the prevailing humanitarian crisis in Indian occupied Kashmir.

High Commissioner Nafees Zakaria took the floor and briefed the audience on the issue of Kashmir, the human rights violations and atrocities continuing since last seven decades, the security threat to the regional peace and stability that the dispute of Kashmir poses and the situation at LoC.

The High Commissioner said that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute with unimplemented UN Security Council resolutions on it.

He invited the attention of the international community towards the plight of Kashmiri people living under crippling restrictions and military siege since Aug 5, 2019.

He said blackout of media, internet and other means of communication by the Indian government is making it impossible for the outside world to know the extent of loss of human lives due to shortages of food and medicines.

Mr Zakaria emphasized to the audience to read the documented accounts of human rights abuses by the organisations of international repute and INGOs such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, IPTK, Association of Disappeared Persons (APDP), etc.

He quoted "Muslim Women's Forum" report saying that around 13,000 Kashmiri youth in Indian occupied Kashmir have been arrested since August 05, 2019 and their welfare and whereabouts were unknown.

Similarly, he cited International People's Tribunal Report entitled, "Buried Evidence" on unnamed and unmarked mass graves.

The High Commissioner also apprised the audience about continuous ceasefire violations by Indian forces resulting into deaths and injuries of the civilians in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and risks to the regional security and beyond.

He invited the attention of the audience towards systematic demographic change that India was bringing to the Jammu and Kashmir territories under its occupation.

The High Commissioner highlighted that in addition to perpetual genocide, mass killings and enforced expulsions, India has taken a number of measures to change the demography which the international community should take notice of.

Barrister Maleeka Bukhari in her speech said that systematic abuse of human rights of the Kashmiris in Indian occupied Kashmir for the last seven decades is not an internal matter of India but it is in contravention of international law as well as Indian constitution.

She termed Kashmir to be the largest open air prison on the earth.

Barrister Maleeka said Indian occupation forces are committing the worst sexual violence in IOK.

She stressed on the need of sending independent observers to IOK.

She called upon the UK Government to take a stand on the basis of principles and urge India to stop human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir.

Condemning the Indian atrocities in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, the other speakers said human rights abuses were not an internal issue; rather it is an the international issue, and therefore, the UN and the international community must play their role to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir territories under Indian siege.

They also underlined the need to send a fact finding mission to IOK.

Speaking about documented accounts of mass blinding by use of pallet guns, mass rapes, mass graves and other manifestations of the collective punishment of the Kashmiris, the speakers said Indian actions in IOK remind the strategy of Second World War.

They maintained that being a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), India cannot do arbitrary detentions.

They said it is deplorable that due to the ongoing siege, the courts are not working and cases of habeas corpus cannot be pursued which adds to sufferings of the detainees and their families.

It was apprised that on international level, UN has issued serious statements to show concern on impunity enjoyed by Indian occupation forces.

It was noted that UN Human Rights Commissioner asked India for unconditional access to Kashmir and an inquiry into human rights abuses which India is still denying.

On domestic level, although the lawyers took the case of Kashmir to the Supreme Court of India, yet the Supreme Court slowed down the case and the judgment on internet shut down was deeply disturbing, it was expressed.

Most of the speakers said British Parliament needs to widen the agenda and discuss Indian occupied Kashmir as what is happening there is totally intolerable.

They said religious nationalism in India is alarming.

Referring to the large number of Kashmiris in the UK and their anguish in the wake of India's illegal unilateral measures since 05 August 2019, they said UK's foreign policy has not been responsive to the issues of Diaspora population.

The speakers noted that it is important to reserve human rights until political disputes are resolved.

They rejected Indian justification of violation of human rights and atrocities like disappearances, extra-judicial killings and sexual violence by terming the Kashmir dispute an internal matter.

They also said UK has a responsibility towards resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

The participants of the event unanimously agreed that the issue of human rights violations in IOK would be raised on all available forums and human rights bodies.