Highlighting precarious situation of human rights violation; PoK activists urge UN to take action against Pakistan
United Nations, July 5: In a unified voice against the injustice mounted on people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan, the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) on Wednesday urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to initiate action to make Pakistan accountable for human rights violations in those areas.
Addressing the 41st session of the UNHRC here, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of UKPNP, Jamil Maqsood, said, “The constant and persistent violations of human rights in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) continues unabated. The Pakistani military engages in land grabbing, oppressive witch hunts, censorship of the media and represses freedom of expression and assembly in its peripheries.”
He also stated that illegal mining and deforestation are two of the methods used by Pakistan to steal the resources of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. He also highlighted citing that the judiciary is not independent. The widespread corruption and nepotism have further corroborated by independent international human rights bodies.
In his statement, Maqsood also stressed that extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and discrimination against any opposition to Pakistan has become a feature of everyday life. He highlighted the confiscation of his Pakistani passport yet another example of pressing dissent by the state of Pakistan.
In addition, the UKPNP representative said, “Our organisation is deeply concerned about the growing international terrorism. The patronisation of some states to such terror groups is the most disturbing phenomenon. Terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and Hizbul Mujahedeen are one of them linked with Al Qaeda and other global terror groups.”
Another contentious issue referred to by Maqsood was Pakistan's construction of Neelam-Jhelum hydropower project, Diamer Basha and Kohala dam in the disputed territories of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. The construction of these dams has resulted in the diversion of the Neelam and Jhelum rivers. This has created a catastrophic impact on the lives and livelihood of the local people. The people there have either lost their sources of water or have had their access to essential water supplies, severely diminished.
These hydro-electric dams have been constructed in a seismic zone, thereby posing potentially dangerous and hazardous risks to hundreds of thousands of people in those regions. He also noted that it has also been very disturbing to note that Islamabad while constructing these dams, ignored every single recommendation mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency.