The panelists at a national conference of “Human Rights Violations in Indian Kashmir: Awakening Global Conscience” expressed their views on the human rights issues as the Indian government continues to deny access for neutral observers and the international media to the region.
The conference was organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) at a local hotel.
In order to highlight human rights issues, the panelists called on both Pakistani and international media to give more than mere ritualistic coverage.
The speakers said that repressive laws such as the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Power Act have made Indian security forces virtually immune from prosecution against hundreds of heinous acts such as kidnapping, torture, rape and molestation they have committed against young men, women and children.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Social Welfare and Women’s Development Farzana Yaqoob said that Kashmiris will continue to struggle for their right of self-determination and raise the issue of human rights violations by the so-called largest democracy of the world.
ALSO READ: India covering up human rights violations in Kashmir: report
Center for International Strategic Studies Executive Director Ali Sarwar Naqvi said that muted response and reaction of world’s major powers to outrightly condemn atrocities have only encouraged India and its security forces to continue their blatant acts of aggression in Kashmir
