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Sajid Hussain, Secretary of Information for the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP), raised serious concerns over ongoing human rights abuses in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir during the ongoing 57th session of the Human Rights Council.
In his speech, he urged the United Nations to prioritise the follow-up on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reports from 2018 and 2019, which addressed grave human rights violations in the forcibly divided former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan (PoJk) and (PoGB). He stated, "These reports highlighted critical issues such as excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, and severe restrictions on freedoms of expression and association. The situation is deteriorating in Rawalakot, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where radical Islamic forces are exerting pressure and issuing fatwas (religious decrees) against activists involved in human rights movements. Such decrees can lead to various forms of harassment, physical violence, or even threats to life, especially for those challenging the status quo." Further, Hussain emphasised that these developments create significant intimidation and fear, suppressing voices that advocate for human rights in the region. He also mentioned the case of Asma Batool, a human rights defender recently arrested for sharing a poem on social media that drew the attention of extremist groups. As a result, she was charged with blasphemy, placing her life in grave danger. Another similar case he highlighted was that of Arsalan from Arja, Bagh, who was also arrested and detained, with their families facing harassment and receiving life threats. He further stressed that freedom of expression is severely compromised in the region under Pakistan's administration, where religion is weaponized against human rights defenders. Those who raise their voices for the voiceless are targeted by pro-government clerics, who issue fatwas declaring their activities as anti-Islamic. Hussain concluded his statement and affirmed, "Asma and Arsalan endured more than 10 days of persecution and solitary confinement. Additionally, many terrorist groups operate under government supervision, posing a serious threat to secular, democratic, and progressive individuals like Asma Batool. The Council should urgently address this situation and call on Pakistan to protect its citizens' lives and put an end to extremism and terrorism in our region." "The historical state of Jammu and Kashmir is a single political entity. Its unification, stability, prosperity, and restoration of sovereignty are essential for safeguarding the life, liberty, and property of its people. The unilateral alteration of the region's status through the dismemberment of the historical state and forced annexation has adversely affected the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," he added (ANI)
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