Pak orchestrating proxy war, promoting terrorism in Kashmir, EFSAS chief tells UNHRC

Thousands of Kashmiris have died in a proxy war orchestrated by Pakistan and they continue to suffer due to terrorist groups patronized by Pakistan military establishment, said the chief of the European Foundation for South Asian Studies during a general debate at 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

While drawing the Council's attention to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, Junaid Qureshi said, "Last month, on Pakistan's so-called Kashmir Solidarity Day, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan would be willing to give Kashmiris the right to independence. This misleading statement, aimed at deceiving the international community, needs to be put into perspective".

Junaid, who himself a Kashmiri from Srinagar said, "It was Pakistan that invaded and divided my Homeland in 1947, and in 1949 it literally shut the door to independence for us Kashmiris".

He added, "In 1989, it unleashed a policy of death and destruction by exporting terrorism into the Kashmir Valley. To this day, the Pakist Military Establishment continues to patronize dozens of terrorist groups".

Junaid told the United Nations that unless Prime Minister Imran Khan is held accountable for his words and pressed to give independence to Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, parts of my land which Pakistan occupies; the trivialization of the Jammu & Kashmir issue will only be further encouraged.

"If nothing else, I would urge this Council to intervene and at least assist us Kashmiris in achieving independence from Pakistan's solidarity. With such solidarity, we shudder to think what mosity would look like," Junaid said.

( With inputs from ANI )