Kashmiri Delegation Highlights Excessive Human Rights Violations In IIOJK

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :A group of Kashmiri delegates met Special Rapporteur on the right to development Saad Alfarargi in Geneva, Switzerland on the sidelines of 51st United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session.

The group comprising of human rights activists brought range of issues, including violation of various articles of the declarations of right to development set forth by the UN, said a press release received here on Wednesday.

The group shared that how the absence of any meaningful political engagement in Kashmir resulted in isolation and marginalization of Kashmiris which also paved way for excessive human rights violations.

The group, while mentioning to the article one of the right to development, criticized the role of Indian government which systematically deprived Kashmiris of economic, social, cultural and political development -- basic components of article one of charter of right to development.

"Development is a fundamental right but it has to be inclusive, emancipatory and should be embedded with Human Rights," one of the delegates said.

While exposing veiled design of Indian occupation, another delegate said: "Kashmir is witnessing a skewed and lopsided development where locals are subjected to oppression, worst human rights violations and victims of ruling party's politics of hate and isolation." It is pertinent to mention here that Amnesty International, in its recent report on Indian Occupied Kashmir, unearthed severe violations of human rights including, torture, abductions, unlawful detentions and illegal actions of law enforcement agencies operating with impunity.

While relating to the other provisions of the right to development, delegates raised the non-compliance of human rights -- the central subject of development, and Kashmiris under occupation were not actual beneficiary of the current enforced and imposed 'development' in Kashmir.

Contrary to the fake promises of promoting and protecting political rights -- which are central for inclusive development -- right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India created mechanisms to systematically deprived Kashmiris of personal and collective development, including demographic changes, issuing domiciles to non-Kashmiris to change Muslim majority into minority.

Besides, highly objectionable delimitation commission in Kashmir came up with glaring recommendation further cutting Muslim Constituencies to its size and giving numerical edge to non-Muslim constituencies -- violating the basic principle of delimitation.

While briefing the special rapporteur, the delegation also raised key challenge of environmental degradation and climate change the entire region had been suffering from. Himalayan region was subjected to worst climatic impact and Kashmir, a region which is highly fragile and vulnerable to climate change, had been bearing the brunt of presence of almost one million military personnel.

One of the major causes of landslides was the fast melting mountains and disturbance in eco-system which was attributed to heavy military movement, deforestation and heavy firing on the Line of Control (LoC).

The delegates concluded that the right to development emphasized on socioeconomic and political development while Kashmiris were constantly subjected to political, economic and social alienation by the Indian government and such development further exacerbated their isolation. A just, accountable and equitable development could not take place in the presence of oppression, repressive laws and with unaccountable governance.