Pakistan must be held accountable: India slams attacks on civilians in PoK

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are a natural outcome of Pakistan's oppressive rule and exploitation of resources in the illegally-occupied territory

India on Friday slammed Pakistan for carrying out "brutalities" against protesting civilians in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying that it must be held accountable for its "horrific" human rights violations.

 

Addressing a briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "We have seen reports on protests in several areas of Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, including brutalities by Pakistani forces on innocent civilians".

 

"We believe that it is a natural consequence of Pakistan’s oppressive approach and systemic plundering of resources from these territories, which remain under its forcible and illegal occupation. Pakistan must be held accountable for its horrific human rights violations," he added.

 

 

Several parts of PoK have witnessed large-scale protests of late, with demonstrators calling for the abolition of 12 Assembly seats reserved for refugees from the Indian side of Kashmir, an end to perks and privileges for politicians, and the implementation of health cards for local residents, according to a report in Pakistan's Dawn newspaper. The demonstrations took a bloody turn earlier this week, claiming the lives of at least nine people, including three policemen, the report added.

 

India calls out Pak at UNHRC, too

 

Recently, India also criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), saying the country has one of the world's worst human rights records and should address the persecution of religious minorities at home, reported PTI.

 

“We find it deeply ironic that a country with one of the world's worst human rights records seeks to lecture others,” Counsellor KS Mohammed Hussain said during the rights body's 60th session in Geneva.

 

“Their attempts to misuse this august forum with fabricated allegations against India only expose their hypocrisy. Instead of making baseless propaganda, they should confront the rampant State-sponsored persecution and systemic discrimination (of religious and ethnic minorities) that plague their own society,” Hussain added.

 

India reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country.

 

Security key part of India-Canada ties: MEA

 

Among other topics, the MEA spokesperson also addressed India–Canada relations and Ottawa's recent designation of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity.

 

"India and Canada have several issues to discuss regarding bilateral cooperation, and within that framework, security cooperation remains an important agenda for ongoing collaboration. As I mentioned, transnational organised crime is a concern for both countries, and indeed, all nations must work together to tackle this menace," Jaiswal said.

 

He added that India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval recently met with his Canadian counterpart, both of whom discussed bilateral matters and security cooperation.  "Both sides had productive discussions on how the two countries can work together on bilateral issues and further strengthen the security cooperation already underway between them. On all these matters, both sides engaged in constructive dialogue," he said.

 

Bishnoi, currently in custody at Tihar Jail, faces over two dozen cases, including murder and extortion, and has links to pro-Khalistan outfits in Canada. 

Restoration of direct flights to China

Speaking about the resumption of direct flights between India and China, Jaiswal said that the move is in line with the growing trend towards normalisation in the relationship between India and China.

 

The ministry on Thursday announced that direct flights between the two nations will resume later this month, nearly five years after they were halted following the Galwan border clash.