Efforts being made to highlight human rights violations by forces in Kashmir: Pakistan FM Qureshi
SRINAGAR, FEB 04 (PTK): Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said the country is making great effort to highlight the human rights violations committed by security forces in Kashmir.
Addressing media in London, the foreign minister of Pakistan said Pakistan is a peaceful country and believes in resolving issues through dialogue.
The people of Kashmir are pursuing their freedom struggle with enthusiasm said the foreign minister. Qureshi added that the situation of Kashmir will be discussed in the International Conference in the UK and he will present Pakistan’s stance over the issue before the world community.
He also said that all political parties in Pakistan are on the same page regarding the issue and are hoping to find a solution for the Kashmir dispute.
He said that during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kashmir, there was a complete strike in Srinagar. The Kashmiris were expressing their resentment and had taken practical steps, he said, regretting the oppressive measures taken in the world’s highly militarised area in the wake of Modi’s visit.
Whether such grave human rights violations were allowed in any civilised society of the world, he wondered and urged India to realise the seriousness of the situation in the valley.
Qureshi, who arrived in London to attend events in connection with the Kashmir Solidarity Day, asked why India had clamped down on social and print media and disrupted the internet service. It was a kind of media gag, he said and asked the world media to highlight the situation in Kashmir, the Dawn reported.
He said that certain incidents often made headlines in the international media, but in Kashmir “grave human rights violations” were being committed by the Indian forces on a daily basis.
The foreign minister left for the United Kingdom on Sunday to attend events organised to highlight human rights violations in Kashmir.
Qureshi will address the International Kashmir Conference, to be held on Monday at the House of Commons by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistan (APPG-Pakistan) that comprises MPs from the Conservative and Labour Party.
It will be followed by an exhibition in Park Lane, London on February 5. (PTK)
