UN rightfully rejected Indian allegations against Kashmir report, says Pakistan

• Dr Faisal says OHCHR disturbed by Indian attempts to divert focus from human rights violations in IoK

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday said that the United Nations (UN) has rejected Indian allegations against its report on human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir because New Delhi hadn’t even bothered to examine the document.

FO Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal took to Twitter to express disappointment with the country’s eastern neighbour. “Deeply disappointed by India dismissing the report without examining it,” Dr Faisal wrote.

UN denies Indian allegations on #Kashmir report. Deeply disappointed by India dismissing the report without examining it. 1/6

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) July 18, 2018

He further said that India had failed to address the very serious concerns raised by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) about the grave human rights situation in IoK.

After it was published, the Indian government and media termed the report as “Pakistan authored” and a “nefarious conspiracy” against India. However, the allegations were shot down by the OHCHR. “The report was developed through remote monitoring,” it said in a statement.

“Since the report was published, we have been deeply disappointed by the reaction of the Indian authorities, who dismissed the report as fallacious, tendentious and motivated without examining it and responding to the very serious concerns about the human rights situation.”

It also denied claims that a Canada-based imam of Pakistani descent, Zafar Bangash, was in constant touch with the UN high commissioner, making the inference that Bangash influenced the content of the report.

“OHCHR has categorically denied any contact between the high commissioner and Zafar Bangash,” Dr Faisal said, adding that the Kashmir report of OHCHR has quoted official Indian sources including the Indian Parliament, Indian Supreme Court and Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The foreign office spokesperson further stated that the OHCHR is disturbed by the sustained Indian attempts to distract and divert the focus from the human rights violations in IoK. “The human rights commissioner has said the Kashmir report is about the human rights of millions of people in Kashmir,” Dr Faisal said.

The foreign office further said that Pakistan has welcomed a visit by the commission of inquiry (COI) both to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as recommended by the report.