At UN, Pakistan seeks independent inquiry into killings in Kashmir
July 15, 2016.
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| Ban-Ki-moon |
Pakistan’s envoy to the
UN Maleeha Lodhi met Under Secretary General Edmond Mullet, the Chef de
Cabinet of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon here and pushed for the
probe, according to a press release issued by the Pakistani Mission to
the UN yesterday.
Notwithstanding India’s sharp response,
Pakistan has demanded a UN-backed independent and transparent inquiry
into the “extra-judicial” killings in Kashmir, terming the situation
there a “grave threat to peace and security”. Pakistan’s envoy to the UN
Maleeha Lodhi met Under Secretary General Edmond Mullet, the Chef de
Cabinet of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon here and pushed for the
probe, according to a press release issued by the Pakistani Mission to
the UN yesterday.
for an independent and transparent inquiry into the extra judicial
killings in Indian occupied Kashmir, calling the situation there a grave
threat to peace and security,” it said. It added that Lodhi briefed
Mullet on the “atrocious brutality” by Indian security forces in Kashmir
and also raised in her meeting the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan
Wani, whom she described as “a popular Kashmiri youth leader.”
hit back at Pakistan and accused Islamabad of not only pushing in
terrorists but also fanning discontent within the Valley by providing
support to terrorist outfits. Terming Wani’s killing as an
“assassination”, Lodhi said his killing had set off widespread protests
and the Indian forces were resorting to “heavy handed tactics” including
included firing on unarmed civilians.
the UN Secretary General was concerned about the deteriorating situation
in Kashmir and was ready to mediate peace talks between India and
Pakistan provided the two neighbours accept his good offices. Lodhi said
the situation in Kashmir should be of grave concern to the
international community as it poses a threat to peace and security and
called the use of excessive force against civilians “exceedingly
deplorable and condemnable.” “Dubbing the Kashmiris agitating for their
right to self- determination as ‘terrorists’ was a travesty of truth and
was further inflaming passions,” the release quoted her as saying.
