Islamabad— The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday expressed grave concern over a United Nations (UN) report highlighting systemic human rights violations in India-occupied Kashmir. The UN experts raised the alarm over “serious human rights violations” in the region following a terror attack in Pahalgam in April, which India blamed on Pakistan without providing evidence.
A press release issued by the FO stated,
“Pakistan notes with grave concern the latest findings by the United Nations Special Procedures experts regarding India’s illegal measures in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).”
Key Observations by UN Experts
The report underscores the extensive arbitrary arrests and detentions of nearly 2,800 individuals, including journalists, students, and human rights defenders. Experts highlighted the use of draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which have facilitated indefinite detentions without due process.
The FO statement further cited reports of:
- Torture and custodial deaths
- Incommunicado detention and denial of family contact
- Punitive house demolitions and forced evictions
- Communication blackouts and press censorship
- Suppression of freedom of expression, assembly, and association
- Rise in hate speech, lynching, and harassment of Kashmiris and Muslim communities across India
“These findings reaffirm Pakistan’s longstanding concerns regarding state-sponsored persecution of Kashmiri Muslims and discrimination against minorities across India,”
The FO said.
Pakistan’s Call to India
The FO urged India to:
- Cease coercive measures
- Unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained individuals
- End persecution of all religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians
- Restore fundamental freedoms and reverse demographic and legal alterations
- Engage sincerely in meaningful dialogue
Pakistan’s Commitment
“Pakistan reiterates its commitment to a peaceful, just, and enduring resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” the FO added.
Pakistan affirmed it will continue to extend moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle against foreign occupation.
Background
The UN report noted that Indian forces arrested more than 2,000 Kashmiris and demolished several homes following the Pahalgam attack. The experts highlighted allegations of torture, incommunicado detention, and restricted access to lawyers and family members, calling such measures “disproportionate restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”
