PoJK, Gilgit-Baltistan activists highlight Pakistan's human rights violations at UNHRC session in Geneva

Geneva, [Switzerland], October 1 (ANI): Political activists from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan raised concerns over worsening human rights violations in their regions during a side event held on the sidelines of the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The event, titled "Intersectionality of the Right to Freedom of Expression and Other Human Rights", focused on the continuing denial of fundamental freedoms to the people of PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), urged the international community, including the United Nations, to intervene and stop Pakistani security forces from carrying out atrocities against indigenous people in PoJK. He also drew attention to the ongoing protests in the region, where people have been demanding basic rights, including improved infrastructure.

"Freedom of expression, peaceful protest, peaceful assembly, and association are fundamental rights that must be protected in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan," Kashmiri said.

"Being a human rights activist and the head of one political party which believes in the United State of Jammu Kashmir, if any part of the state of Jammu Kashmir people are suffering due to the violations of human rights, especially since 1947, our people are victims of the Pakistani policies. Fascism is imposed in PoJK and also in Gilgit-Baltistan. And overall, human rights have been compromised, and through one act, these areas have been directly or indirectly ruled. However, the constitution of Pakistan declares its own territory, Pakistan territory," Kashmiri told ANI.

He added that PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan are not officially part of Pakistan. "Now it is the people, it is the civil society who are asking to restore our basic human rights. They are not asking for the ruling; they are just asking to protect our natural resources. You have no right to plunder natural resources, but unfortunately, Pakistan is not ready. And at this moment, majoritarianism actually prevails, and might is right. So rulers are not ready to listen to the voices of civil society," he said.

Kashmiri emphasised that Pakistan has illegally occupied the region for 77 years, leaving its people without a voice in a heavily militarised environment.

"Everywhere you can watch, the agencies are operating, and Pakistani media proxy media is propagating against the civil rights of the people, and they are propagating that though India funds this movement, and this and that, we are asking through media and our briefing that Pakistan should change its mind and restore our basic rights. You have no legal right to suppress us," he said.

Sherbaz Khan, a political activist from Gilgit-Baltistan, highlighted the exploitation of natural resources by Pakistan and the hardships faced by locals in the occupied territories.

Nasir Aziz Khan, spokesperson of UKPNP, urged the UN to take cognisance of Pakistan's systematic suppression of freedom of expression in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

"More than two and a half years, people are on the streets and they are demanding their basic fundamental human rights, and Pakistan is not ready to listen to their voices. They are peacefully protesting, they didn't take guns, they are non-violent," he said.

"This is the beauty of that movement. And we are standing by them, and at the international level, we are their voice because they don't have any representation anywhere and from 29th September, the whole area is locked down. There is no internet, no telephone and people do not have access to any international media or communication," he added.

Highlighting the situation of Kashmiris, the political activist stated that three million Kashmiris are under siege, and they are cut off from the international community; two million Kashmiris living abroad have no connection or cannot talk with their family, and we don't know what is going on there. Some reports coming from there through different means, people are killed, injured, and this is unfortunate."

Notably, violent clashes erupted in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), as Pakistani security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters demanding the Self-Rule Charter of Demands.

The protests, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), have resulted in over half a dozen casualties and several serious injuries in the past three days, according to the sources.

The demonstrations, which drew massive public support, centred around a 38-point charter of demands put forward by the JKJAAC.

The unrest is a response to the government's failure to address the committee's 38 demands, including the elimination of reserved seats in PoJK; 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan were abolished.

The protesters are also demanding economic relief, including slashing electricity tariffs, providing subsidised wheat flour, and ending perks for government officials. Additionally, they are demanding free education and health facilities for the people of PoJK. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)