Canberra, July 06, 2021 (PPI-OT):High Commissioner Babar Amin held a virtual meeting with National Director Samantha Klintworth and Strategic Campaigner on South Asia, Kyinzom Dhongdue of Amnesty International on 5 July 2021. The High Commissioner thanked Amnesty International for their support for various human rights causes around the world. He gave an overview of the situation in the Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019.
The High Commissioner informed that Indian actions to change the demographic structure of IIOJK was against the UNSC resolutions, 4th Geneva Convention and international law. He highlighted the grave human rights abuses being carried out by Indian Security Forces, including extra judicial killings, use of pellet guns and arbitrary detention of Kashmiri leaders and journalists.
The High Commissioner stated that the draconian Indian laws such as Public Safety Act (PSA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) allowed the Indian Security Forces to act with complete impunity. He further informed about various reports on the human rights situation in IIOJK, including the recent report of UN Secretary General on ‘Children and Armed Conflict’ in which he called on India to protect the children of IIOJK and end the use of pellet guns against children. He also drew attention toward 13000 Kashmiri youth abducted from their homes since 5 August 2019 by Indian Occupation Forces, whose fate is still shrouded with uncertainty.
Ms Klintworth thanked the High Commissioner for briefing and informed that Amnesty International was involved in advocacy of human rights issues and had also highlighted the situation in IIOJK in its Annual Report-2021. Briefing on the situation in Afghanistan in response to a query from the Amnesty, the High Commissioner reiterated that Pakistan supported an Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process. He informed that Pakistan was hosting 3 million refugees from Afghanistan and wanted their dignified return to Afghanistan. He stated that Pakistan had not favourites and its was up to the Afghan leadership to seize the historic opportunity for an all-inclusive peaceful settlement.
For more information, contact:
High Commission for Pakistan, Canberra
Postal Address: P.O Box 7130, Yarralumla, ACT 2600
Physical Address: 4 Perth Avenue, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (Australia)
Tel: +61-2-62731114
Fax: +61-2-62731199
Email: phc@pakistan.org.au
Website: https://www.pakistan.org.au/
Leave a Reply