High Commissioner testifies before APPG on Kashmir on human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir

H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK testified at the UK Parliament on human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) on 19 June 2018. Chris Leslie MP, Chairperson APPG on Kashmir chaired the meeting.

The testimony was made before the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Kashmir that met to take stock of the recent unrest in IOK. Lords MPs, members of civil society, and representatives of human rights organizations were present during the Oral Evidence Session.

In his testimony the High Commissioner forcefully raised the issue of gross human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and urged the international community to take note of these atrocities and raise its voice for the voiceless people of Kashmir.

The High Commissioner termed the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), a human catastrophe beyond description. He said Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory as recognized by the United Nations and the international community.

Following are the salient points raised by the Deputy High Commissioner:

• Indian’s military occupation of the State is illegal

• India accepted the United Nations resolutions but has avoided implementing them through obfuscation, diversion, deceit and aggression

• India is also refusing a bilateral dialogue with Pakistan

• With largest army concentration, India’s brutal occupation of Kashmir has resulting in killing of more than 100,000 innocent Kashmiris.

• Rapes, tortures, illegal incarceration, enforced disappearances and mass blinding of innocent Kashmiri people by use of pallet guns by the Indian occupation forces show that Indian brutality knows no bounds.

Appreciating the APPG on Kashmir’s initiative, the High Commissioner stated:

“I am sure this Group’s effort to document the precarious human rights situation in Kashmir is both important and appropriate. It is also in line with the British human rights values and its commitment to uphold the same at home and abroad.”

This is the second testimony on human rights violations in IOK given by the Pakistan High Commission, London in the last seven months. The testimony, along with other findings will form the basis of a written report on the human rights violations in IOK to be published by the APPG on Kashmir in the next few months.

This will be the first such report produced by any British Parliamentary Group. It is intended to form an authoritative, balanced and comprehensive account of the current situation in Kashmir and to provide a valuable resource for the parliamentarians in Britain and elsewhere.

Chris Leslie MP, Chairperson APPG on Kashmir expressed his desire to complete the report as soon as possible. He appreciated Pakistan High Commission London’s cooperation in preparing the report.

MPs and Lords present on the occasion expressed serious concerns over the human rights abuses committed by the Indian security forces in the IOK.

Dr Ijaz Hussain, an academic, also gave a briefing to the attendees on the salient features of the recently released UN Human Rights Report on Kashmir.

The following British Parliamentarian attended the briefing: Chris Leslie MP, Jack Brereton MP, Debbie Abrahams MP, Imran Hussain MP, Sarah Champion MP, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, Liz McInnes MP, Khalid Mahmood MP, Lord Nazir Ahmed, Lord Qurban Hussain, Vernon Coaker MP, Stephen Timms MP, Jim McMahon MP, Faisal Rashid MP and Julie Cooper MP. Raja Najabat Hussain, Chairman JKSDMI also attended the briefing.