| FO urges world community to take notice of Indian
state-terrorism | Sikh pilgrims arriving in Pakistan through Kartarpur Corridor after India’s last-minute reopening
ISLAMABAD – Foreign Office Thursday strongly condemned wanton extra-judicial killings of another five Kashmiris by Indian occupation forces in Kulgam, in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ).
The Indian occupation forces have martyred at least 30 Kashmiris in fake encounters or so-called “cordon and search operations” since 1st October 2021, said a foreign ministry statement.
The killing spree of innocent Kashmiris perpetuated by Indian occupation forces continues with shameless impunity. It further exposes the unspeakable violence being perpetrated by the “Hindutva” inspired extremist BJP-RSS combine that has turned IIOJK into an inferno where no one, not even innocent civilians, professionals, women, children and elderly are safe from the state-terrorism of the occupation forces.
Also condemnable is the inhuman and callous practice of the Indian occupation forces of not handing over the mortal remains of the martyred Kashmiris to their families in many instances. Usurping the fundamental rights of Kashmiri families by denying them the right of proper burial of martyrs further exposes the current Indian government’s moral bankruptcy.
The killings of Kashmiri civilians by Indian occupation forces also vindicate the irrefutable facts provided by Pakistan recently in a comprehensive dossier exposing human rights violations and war crimes committed by Indian occupation forces in IIOJK.
Pakistan calls on the international community to take immediate notice of the Indian state-terrorism in IIOJK and hold India accountable for the egregious human rights violations of the innocent Kashmiri people. Pakistan also urges the international community to play its role for a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people for durable peace and stability in the region.
The Foreign Office also said that the US designation of Pakistan as amongst countries of particular concerns for religious freedom was completely unwarranted.
Speaking at the weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said Pakistan rejects the designation by the US amongst countries of particular concerns for religious freedom.“
“It is as arbitrary and selective assessment. The designation is completely against the realities on the ground and raises serious doubts about the credibility of this exercise. Such subjective designations do not contribute towards promoting the cause of religious freedom,” he said.
The spokesperson said Pakistan and the US have been constructively engaging on the subject at the bilateral relation. “This is a fact regrettably overlooked by the US,” he added.
Ahmed said Pakistani society was a multi-religious and pluralistic with a rich tradition of interfaith harmony. He said religious freedom and the protection of the rights of minorities are guaranteed by our constitution and ensured through a range of legislative, policy and administrative measures.
Ahmed noted with concerns the glaring omission of India saying this puts the credibility of the US report into question.
He pointed out that the RSS-BJP regime and their leaders openly disregard religious freedom and discriminate against minority communities in an institutionalized manner.
“State complicity in organized violence against the Muslim minority in India is a matter of record. It is no secret that attacks by cow vigilantes and mob lynching of Indian Muslims take place regularly with complete impunity for the perpetrators,” the spokesperson said.
He said systematic demonization, dispossession, marginalization and targeted violence against Muslims in Hindutva inspired India has become commonplace.
The spokesperson stressed that redressal of the rising trend of intolerance, discrimination, xenophobia and Islamophobia requires global efforts based on the principles of cooperation and mutual understanding. He said Pakistan is sincerely playing its part in this endeavour.
He called upon the international community to take immediate notice of the state-terrorism by India and hold it accountable for egregious human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The spokesperson said the recent killing spree of innocent Kashmiris by Indian occupation forces exposes the unspeakable violence being perpetrated by the “Hindutva” inspired extremist BJP-RSS combine that has turned IIOJK into an inferno.
On the Kartarpur Corridor, he said the pilgrims were also coming in through the Kartarpur Corridor since yesterday after government of India’s last-minute decision to re-open the Corridor from its side following repeated calls for the same.
“Despite short notice, Pakistan responded promptly to facilitate the yatrees coming through the Kartarpur Corridor,” he added.
It may be recalled that following a brief COVID-19 related closure, the Corridor was reopened by Pakistan in June 2020. India on the other hand had kept the Corridor closed for 20 months, despite resumption of international travel and opening of religious places in India.
Besides the Kartarpur Corridor, pilgrims from India are also coming through Wagah border. Similarly, numbers of pilgrims are coming from many other countries. During their stay in Pakistan, they will pay obeisance at different Gurdwaras including Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, he said.
In addition, Ahmed said, to issue visas by Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and other Embassies, a series of activities had been organized from 17-26 November to commemorate this sacred event.
“We hope all our guests will enjoy the traditional warmth and trademark Pakistani hospitality, and wish all of them a spiritually rewarding yatra,” he said.