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Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of the United Kashmir Peoples National Party (UKPNP), has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take immediate action over what he described as a deteriorating human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).
Addressing the 63rd session of the UNHRC under Agenda Item 4 on human rights situations requiring the Councils attention, Kashmiri alleged that repression had intensified in PoJK since June 5, 2026, with reports of arrests, violence, restrictions on communications, and increased deployment of security forces. He said reports of deaths, injuries, arbitrary detentions, and alleged disappearances warranted an immediate, independent, and impartial investigation. "Peaceful dissent is not terrorism, and demanding rights is not a crime," Kashmiri said, calling on Pakistan to end the use of force against peaceful protesters and release people he described as arbitrarily detained. He also called for authorities to establish the whereabouts of missing persons and restore unrestricted internet and mobile communications across PoJK. On PoGB, Kashmiri said unresolved issues relating to political representation, land rights, and control over natural resources required genuine democratic dialogue. He also stressed that development projects should be undertaken with transparency, consultation, and respect for local communities. Kashmiri urged the Human Rights Council to establish independent monitoring mechanisms, seek accountability for alleged violations, and strengthen protection of civic space and fundamental rights in the two territories. He further called for the release of political prisoners in the Pakistan-occupied parts of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that prolonged detention and alleged mistreatment should end. "The Council must act now to safeguard the lives and fundamental rights of millions of Kashmiris," he said. Kashmiri concluded by urging the UNHRC to demand accountability and ensure greater international scrutiny of the human rights situation in PoJK and PoGB. (ANI)
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