India slams UN report on Kashmir

The United Nations on Thursday released the firstever report on alleged human rights violation in Kashmir and Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK) and demanded an international probe into it, evoking a sharp reaction from India which termed the document as “fallacious and motivated”.

Taking objection to the UN using terms like “Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan” for PoK, the MEA said, “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’.”

“We are deeply concerned that individual prejudices are being allowed to undermine the credibility of a UN institution,” the ministry added.

The UN also asked Pakistan to end its “misuse” of anti-terror legislation to persecute peaceful activists and quash dissent.

“Impunity for human rights violations and lack of access to justice are key human rights challenges in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir,” the report said.

It also sought repealing of the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 “urgently” and also “immediately remove the requirement for prior central government permission to prosecute security forces personnel accused of human rights violations in civilian courts.”

The findings come amid a precarious security situation in Kashmir, where Indian forces have been running a military offensive against rebels in recent years.

It also comes at a time when a ceasefire prevails in J&K during the Ramzan period, and some people here see it as a pressure tactic against the Indian government.

We will have to see what the Human Rights Council determines as a result of this report that was carried out by the Human Rights Office. As with all questions regarding mandates by Member States, it’s up to Member States to determine the sort of mandates that the United Nations will have. — FARHAN HAQ, deputy spokesman for the Secretary-General High Commissioner for Human Rights