The United Nations has called for an independent international inquiry into the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. The organization has even claimed that the Indian security forces had used excessive forces in the Valley and injured several civilians since 2016.
India rejected the report outright. "India rejects report. It is fallacious, tendentious and motivated. We question intent in bringing out report. It is a selective compilation of largely unverified information," the external affairs ministry said.
The UN report on human rights, addressing both the Indian and Pakistani-held portions of Kashmir, has even asked Pakistan to end its "misuse" of anti-terror legislation to persecute peaceful activists. The 49-page report has also stated that justice should be served for both the sides of the Line of Conflict, Reuters reported.
"There is an urgent need to address past and ongoing human rights violations and abuses and deliver justice for all people in Kashmir, who for seven decades have suffered a conflict that has claimed or ruined numerous lives," the UN Human Rights Office report said.
"In responding to demonstrations that started in 2016, Indian security forces used excessive force that led to unlawful killings and a very high number of injuries," it added.
Soon after the report made headlines, India hit back at the UN report and called it 'fallacious, tendentious and motivated.' The Ministry of External Affairs rejected the report and said: "We question intent in bringing out the report. It is a selective compilation of largely unverified information," reports ANI.
The report which was published on Thursday, June 14, by the UN human rights office in Geneva has not, however, witnessed any reaction from the Pakistani government.
Kashmir has been at the center of conflicts between India and Pakistan who both claim that the region belongs to them. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have fought two wars over the region since the day both India and Pakistan got independence in 1947.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has mentioned in the report that the conflict "has robbed millions of their basic human rights."
"It is also why I will be urging the UN Human Rights Council to consider establishing a commission of inquiry to conduct a comprehensive independent international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir," Zeid said.
