New Delhi
India on Thursday rejected the UN report alleging human rights violations in Kashmir. Calling it “ fallacious, tendentious and motivated,” New Delhi questioned the intent behind bringing out a report with “selective compilation of largely unverified information.”
Earlier today, the United Nations released the first of its kind report on alleged human rights violations in both “Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir” and sought an international inquiry into these abuses.
In a strong reaction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the report is “overtly prejudiced” and seeks to build a “false narrative”.
“The report violates India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the Indian state through aggression. We have repeatedly called upon Pakistan to vacate the occupied territories. The incorrect description of Indian territory in the report is mischievous, misleading and unacceptable. There are no entities such as ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir’ and ‘Gilgit-Baltistan,’” said MEA.
Highlighting cross-border terrorism from across the border, the ministry said that the authors of the report have “conveniently ignored the pattern of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and territories under its illegal control.”
“Such malicious reports cannot undermine the will of the people and the Government of India to take all measures necessary to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from cross border terrorism,” it added.
In its report, the global human rights watch body asserted an “urgent need” to address the past and ongoing human rights violations and that “any resolution to the political situation in Kashmir should entail a commitment to ending the cycles of violence and accountability for past and current human rights violations”.
The report also asked Pakistan to end its “misuse” of anti-terror legislation to persecute peaceful activists and quash dissent.
The report also talked about killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani by the Indian forces which triggered unprecedented protests in the Valley during this period.
There has been documented evidence of these groups committing a wide range of human rights abuses, including kidnappings and killings of civilians and sexual violence, it added.
“Despite the Government of Pakistan’s assertions of denial of any support to these groups, experts believe that Pakistan’s military continues to support their operations across the Line of Control in Indian-Administered Kashmir,” the report said.
