Pakistan has been accused of imposing a severe crackdown in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), including road blockades, mass arrests and the use of counter-terrorism laws, resulting in a “serious humanitarian crisis”, according to testimony to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).Mirza Shafiq, chairman of the Swiss Kashmir Human Rights Commission, said in a speech during the 62nd session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights that roads connecting the region to Pakistan have been blocked by police and rangers, disrupting the transportation of basic supplies including food, medicine and other necessities.“These restrictions could trigger widespread unrest across the region,” Shafiq said, describing the situation as “brutal rather than political.”He expressed concern about his 90-year-old mother’s deteriorating health, saying he had been unable to contact her for nearly three weeks and was having trouble getting her weekly medication.
British People’s Party lodges protest at UN in Geneva
The United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) also staged a demonstration at the iconic Broken Chair Memorial outside the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, coinciding with a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UKPNP leaders Jamil Maqsood and Amjad Yousuf condemned the actions of the Pakistani army and security forces, specifically mentioning the June 7 shooting in Rawalakot that left many dead and injured.Shafiq claimed that more than 22 people were allegedly killed, 576 people were arrested and 34 people were booked under the anti-terrorism law as protests continued across PoJK in the past 20 days. He also claimed that the bodies of some of the victims had not yet been returned to their families.He urged the international community to intervene and facilitate dialogue between the Pakistan government and the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC).
Violations raised in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pashtun human rights defender Fazal Ur Rehman Afridi also addressed the UN Human Rights Council, accusing Pakistan of widespread human rights violations in Pashtun, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.Afridi claimed that the situation in PoJK had become “extremely critical” after JKJAAC was banned. He claimed that Pakistani security forces launched a violent crackdown that left dozens of civilians dead and hundreds injured.He also condemned the reported life sentence imposed on Baloch human rights activist Dr Mahrang Baloch, saying the judiciary was compromised and called for her immediate release.Afridi urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to launch an international investigation into the allegations and demanded unrestricted access for international rights organizations and journalists to conflict-affected areas.
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