Human Rights Day: Pakistan Highlights Indian Abuses in IIOJ&K

Human Rights Day is marked every year on 10 December. The day reminds the world of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The declaration gives every human equal rights without any discrimination.

The UDHR protects many basic freedoms. These include the right to life, liberty, speech, education, and fair treatment. It is the most translated document in history, available in more than 500 languages.

On this Human Rights Day, Pakistan again raised concern over the grave human rights abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). Reports show that India continues to use force to silence Kashmiris.

People in IIOJ&K face torture, arrests, disappearances, and restrictions on freedom of speech. Many international observers say Indian security forces work with complete impunity. This is because of harsh laws such as the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). These laws allow forces to arrest anyone without reason, and even shoot unarmed civilians.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released two reports in 2018 and 2019. Both reports accused India of severe human rights violations in Kashmir. They also called for an independent commission to investigate the crimes.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian forces have committed hundreds of thousands of violations since 1989.
The details are alarming:

• Total killings: 96,278

• Custodial killings: 7,322

• Arrested civilians: 168,939

• Damaged structures: 110,509

• Widowed women: 22,968

• Orphaned children: 107,941

• Gang-raped or molested women: 11,259

• Pellet gun injuries: 3,800

These numbers reveal the scale of suffering in the region. Many rights groups now call India the biggest violator of human rights in South Asia.

On this Human Rights Day, Pakistan urged the world to act. It asked the United States, the European Union, and international partners to look beyond their political and economic interests. Pakistan said global powers must support the rights of Kashmiris and religious minorities in India.

Pakistan also reminded the world that peace in the region cannot be achieved until human rights are protected in IIOJ&K. Freedom and justice for Kashmiris remain a global responsibility.