Islamabad, 11 Oct 2023:Aamir Khan, acting permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, has issued a compelling call to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, urging the international body to hold New Delhi accountable for what Islamabad deems as egregious human rights violations occurring in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The appeal was made during the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee meeting, where Khan emphasized the necessity for the international community to ensure that alleged abuses are addressed in a non-selective and impartial manner, according to a press release from MOIB.

During his discourse, Ambassador Aamir Khan spotlighted the Human Rights 75 Initiative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), an initiative dedicated to underscoring universality, progress, and engagement under UN Human Rights. He stressed that the initiative should work towards eliminating double standards and selectivity within the operations of the UN, thus ensuring that all nations are held to the same rigorous account.

Furthermore, Khan expressed substantial concern regarding the prevalence of Islamophobia globally, highlighting instances such as the Qur’an burning, which he described as “repugnant.” He underscored this issue by noting it’s prohibited by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and brought it forward as a matter demanding collective concern and address by the international community.

Pakistan’s call to the UN illustrates its continued diplomatic efforts to draw international attention to the situation in Kashmir, bringing forward not just regional but global issues into the broader framework of the United Nations and seeking multilateral avenues to address and remediate these concerns.