UNITED NATIONS, Oct 19 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Munir Akram, apprised UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the worsening human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the concomitant threat to regional peace and security when he met him on Monday, according to Pakistani officials.
The Pakistani envoy, who called on the UN chief on instructions from Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, also urged the UN chief to take steps to promote peace in South Asia.
During an half an hour meeting, the officials said, Ambassador Akram expressed alarm at the continuing extrajudicial killings in staged encounters and fake cordon-and-search operations, as well as arbitrary detentions and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces in Kashmir.
He highlighted that the recent arrests of over 1400 Kashmiris on false charges in one of the biggest ever crackdowns in the disputed territory was the latest example of India’s state-terrorism.
In this regard, he underlined that such mass scale repression was reflective of New Delhi’s frustration at its failure to realize its ominous “Final Solution” for Jammu and Kashmir.
Ambassador Akram also drew the attention of the secretary-general towards Indian Home Minister’s “callous” statement threatening to conduct so-called “surgical strikes” against Pakistan.
Rejecting Indian allegations of “cross border” infiltration, the Pakistani envoy expressed concerns that India may once again conduct a “false flag” operation to justify aggression against Pakistan.
Pakistan, he said, desired peace with India but it would spare no effort to “resolutely thwart any aggressive designs by India”.
Ambassador Akram urged the Secretary-General to make all efforts to avoid the prospects of a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, lower tensions, and promote peace in South Asia.
The Secretary-General expressed concerns on the worsening situation in IIOJK and promised to make efforts towards de-escalation, according to the officials.
