Hurriyat Conference (M) on Thursday demanded the appointment of a UN human rights special representative for Kashmir to look into the alleged ‘human rights abuses being perpetrated by the forces’ in Kashmir.
“The demand was put forward by Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, convener Hurriyat Conference, Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) chapter while addressing a special meeting on the sidelines of 37th session of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) currently in progress at the UN headquarters, Geneva,” a spokesman of Hurriyat (M) said in a statement.
“As a rare gesture, Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human rights attended the meeting. Besides, 500 representatives of the civil society from across the globe were also present in the meeting.”
“Syed Faiz Naqshbandi , while addressing the meeting raised issues of extra judicial killings, fake encounters, enactment of draconian laws, indiscriminate use of pellet guns, and denial of right to travel of Hurriyat leaders in Kashmir,” the spokesman said.
“Forces enjoy complete impunity and this situation has drastically increased human rights violations in Kashmir,” the spokesman, quoted Naqshbandi as having said. He demanded the appointment of a special UN representative on the situation in Kashmir.
The spokesman said, “The meeting assumes significance as Zeid Al-Hussein holds the distinction of breaking United Nations’ half-century of silence on Kashmir when he added Jammu & Kashmir to a formal list of urgent humanitarian crisis, along with conflicts like Syria and Myanmar, in his policy statement in September 2016.”