Daily Times

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan have urged the international community to play its due role for protection of human rights of the people of Indian-held Kashmir.

In their separate messages on the occasion of World Human Rights Day observed on Tuesday, the top leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for right to self-determination.

President Alvi expressed serious concerns over military lockdown, curfew and suppression of basic human rights of more than eighty million Kashmiris in the occupied valley. He urged the international community to come forward and play its role for protection of human rights of the people of Kashmir and their right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions. He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to support the oppressed Kashmiri people.

President Alvi said Pakistan stands committed to protecting and promoting the human rights and will continue making efforts to safeguard freedom, liberty, dignity and self-esteem of every citizen of the occupied valley.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also reiterated Pakistan’s support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for right to self-determination. “On this day, we must keep in our thoughts and prayers the brave and oppressed Kashmiris in Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir who are facing all sorts of human rights abuses at the hands of Indian occupation forces,” he said in his message. “Since August 5, the situation has deteriorated further and the occupied valley has been transformed into the world’s largest prison, with an inhumane lockdown and other restrictions which have been imposed for more than four months now,” he said.

The prime minister said the international community must act in support of the fundamental human rights and basic freedoms of the people of Kashmir. He urged India to allow a UN fact finding mission to the occupied valley to ascertain the reports of grave human rights violations. The prime minister said a peaceful, negotiated settlement to this long-standing dispute in accordance with the UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people should remain the focus of the international community.