Daily Times

Pakistan, speaking for Islamic countries, has underscored the need for investigating Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank to pave the way for accountability.

“It is high time that violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law including war crimes committed against the Palestinian people are investigated and accountability follows,” Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN offices in Geneva, told the Human Rights Council during its general debate on Tuesday.

At the same time, the Pakistani envoy, who was speaking on behalf of the OIC countries, voiced “deep anguish” over the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian occupied Kashmir.

“We urge India to comply with the applicable UN Security Council resolutions and implement recommendations addressed to it in the two Kashmir reports by OHCHR, the UN human rights office, which need to be updated,” the OIC statement said.

“The Council must pay attention to consistent observations made by SPMHs (Special Procedure Mandate Holders) on the human rights violations, impunity and draconian laws in the occupied territory.” In the statement, Ambassador Ahmad strongly condemned all crimes committed by the Israeli Occupation Forces in Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and called for implementing provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and reminded all states of their responsibilities in this regard.

“We reiterate our longstanding call for upholding respect for human rights and international humanitarian law in the OPT, including in East Jerusalem,” he said.

“We also call for reversal of all measures aimed at institutionalizing illegal occupation, apartheid and colonial settlement enterprise in OPT.”

The OIC also called on the Council to work towards securing justice and accountability for the Rohingya people, including through their safe, dignified, and voluntary return to their homes in Myanmar.

The OIC, he said, reiterated its full solidarity with Bangladesh and supports calls for assistance to the country in efforts to achieve a durable solution.

“The OIC condemns the damage and loss of properties inflicted by Armenia including cultural heritage and religious sites in the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from the occupation,” the statement said.

“The OIC reaffirms its full support to the Government and people of Azerbaijan and call upon the international community to extend assistance to Azerbaijan for the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijani IDPs (internally displaced persons).

“We strongly condemn the acts of religious hatred manifested in the repeated acts of desecration of the Holy Quran,” Ambassador Ahmad said, while underlining the need for enacting legal measures by states to tackle this menace.