ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged the UN secretary-general to appoint a special envoy for Indian-administered Kashmir who can record human rights violations in the disputed region, including the killing of civilians by India鈥檚 military.
鈥淲e urge the international community to take cognizance of the gross and systematic violations of fundamental human rights 鈥� including the most basic human right to life 鈥� that are taking place in Indian-occupied Kashmir,鈥� Dr. Mohammed Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Ministry, told Arab News on Tuesday.
鈥淭he international community should use its influence with India to bring an end to the shameful culture of impunity that has been fostered there for several decades.鈥�
Pakistan on Monday condemned the killing of at least 20 Kashmiri civilians by Indian forces over the weekend.
More than 520 Kashmiris have been killed and at least 9,000 injured in the past two years by India鈥檚 military, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif said on Monday.
He warned the international community that repeated cease-fire violations by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) could lead to a 鈥渕ajor war鈥� between the nuclear-armed countries.
Shamshad Ahmad, former Pakistani ambassador to India, said the issue of Kashmir has remained unresolved for the last 70 years due to New Delhi鈥檚 鈥渋ntransigence.鈥� The issue 鈥渃an easily be resolved by acting on UN resolutions,鈥� he told Arab News.
鈥淭he confrontational standoff between the two countries may continue, but there鈥檚 no chance of a full-fledged war due to their nuclear capability.鈥� It is in India鈥檚 interest to resolve the Kashmir issue as per UN resolutions, Ahmad said.
To highlight Indian violations in Kashmir at international forums, Islamabad decided on Monday to send special envoys, including the president of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, to important world capitals.
Former Pakistani diplomat Aziz Ahmad Khan said it is a challenge for countries that champion human rights worldwide to force India to the negotiating table and end its violations in Kashmir.
鈥淧akistan has been doing its part by highlighting the issue at international forums, and this decades-old dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi must be resolved via diplomatic means,鈥� he told Arab News.
Indian forces have blinded thousands of Kashmiris through pellet guns, and have killed tens of thousands over the years, but 鈥渋t seems like the international community has become insensitive to these atrocities,鈥� Khan said.
Tahir Malik, professor of international relations at a public-sector university, said: 鈥淚ndia must be held accountable by the international community for trampling on human rights and violating international law in Kashmir. Only a peaceful resolution to the issue is a permanent solution.鈥�
Pakistan has decided to observe April 6 as Kashmir Solidarity Day.