Imran Khan asks international community to press India to lift Kashmir restrictions

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday appealed to the international community to press India to lift the restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir, which has entered the fourth month.

The restrictions were imposed on August 5 when the central government had announced the abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under the Article 370 and its bifurcation into two Union Territories.

In a tweet on the Human Rights Day, Khan said he condemns the “atrocities” inflicted on the people in Kashmir.

He said Pakistan stands resolutely with the Kashmiri people struggling for their right to self determination.

“We must appeal to the world’s conscience, to upholders of international law and to the UNSC to act” against India’s illegal actions in Kashmir, he said.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood in a briefing on the human rights situation in Kashmir for members of the Diplomatic Corps based in Islamabad said “India’s contentions that the measures taken by it in Kashmir were aimed at development of the Kashmiri people defied both logic as well as the ground realities.”

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari also tweeted that while the world marks Human Rights Day, “it cannot ignore the massive human rights violations…and continue the restriction for over 4 months.

India has defended imposition of restrictions in Kashmir on the grounds that they were put to prevent Pakistan from creating more mischief through proxies and terrorists following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.