ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday urged India to end the “unjustified and illegal detention” of Kashmiri activists, saying their arrests were an attempt to block the monitoring of the human rights situation in Indian-administered Kashmir.
A statement by Pakistan’s foreign office made particular reference to the arrests of Irfan Mehraj, a Kashmiri human rights defender and journalist who is a founder of Wande Magazine, an editor at TwoCircles.net and has worked as a researcher with the monitoring organization Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCSS), and Khurram Parvez, a human rights defender, Programme Coordinator of the JKCCS and Chairperson of the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD). Mehraj and Khurram were arrested earlier this year and are accused of several offenses under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
“In a communication addressed to the Government of India, UN special procedures for human rights have expressed serious concerns at the arrest, detention and charges against Kashmiri human rights defenders, Mr. Khurram Pervaiz and Mr. Irfan Mehraj,” the foreign office said.
“The communication has been signed by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders; the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntarily Disappearances; the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Freedom and Peaceful Assembly and of Association; and the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.”
The UN Special Procedures has expressed “serious concern” against the arrest, detention, and accusations brought against Mehraj and Parvez, which appear to “gravely conflate their legitimate human rights work with terrorism.”
Pakistan said the communication by the UN Special Procedures was “yet another indictment” of the Indian authorities’ attempts to silence and harass Kashmiri human rights defenders.
“We urge India to bring an end to the unjustified and illegal detention of Mr. Khurrum Pervaiz and Mr. Irfan Mehraj and numerous other Kashmiri activists who are languishing in jails for raising their voice against Indian oppression,” the foreign office said.
Pakistan and India both claim Kashmir in full but rule only part of it, and have fought two of their three wars over control of the Himalayan region.
India has for years accused Pakistan of helping Islamist militants who have battled Indian security forces in its part of Kashmir since the late 1980s. Pakistan denies the accusation and says it only provides diplomatic and moral support for Kashmiris seeking self-determination.
The special status given to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked in 2019 when New Delhi split it into two federally controlled territories. Pakistan calls the moves illegal and wants them rolled back.
India’s 2019 decision led the two countries to downgrade their diplomatic ties in tit-for-tat moves.
