The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formally requested the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to investigate the reported killings of protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The party is calling for accountability for those responsible for the violence.
The appeal follows reports from the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a coalition of activist groups operating in PoK. According to the JAAC, 37 unarmed individuals, including women and children who were not participating in protests, have allegedly been killed by Pakistani forces in PoK over the past two days. Tahir Rihat has not been able to independently verify these claims.
The reported violence is said to have escalated on Monday, coinciding with the commencement of the first phase of elections for what is referred to as the legislative assembly in PoK. The JAAC had initiated a long march that reportedly led to the confrontation.
Sarfraz Hamid Rather, co-convenor of the J&K BJP’s Human Rights Cell, expressed deep anguish and grave concern over the civilian casualties and the alleged excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators. He emphasized that the situation demands immediate attention from the international community, highlighting what he described as grave human rights violations perpetrated by Pakistani forces.
Rather stated that the global response from human rights institutions to these alleged violations by Pakistan forces appears muted, a sentiment he finds deeply disturbing. He asserted that the principles of human rights are universal, indivisible, and inalienable, and should not be subject to selective application based on geographical location, political considerations, or strategic interests.
The BJP leader urged the UNHRC, OHCHR, and other credible international human rights organizations to promptly acknowledge the reported incidents. He called for an independent and impartial process to ascertain the facts on the ground, ensuring a fair, transparent, and credible investigation into the events. Rather stressed that individuals found responsible must be held accountable in accordance with international law.
He further articulated that the global community cannot afford to remain indifferent to the suffering of civilians. “Every innocent life is precious, and every kind of violence deserves a prompt, impartial, and credible inquiry,” Rather stated, underscoring the urgency and gravity of the situation as reported by the JAAC.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
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