Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947.
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“These acts were initially denied by the Government of Pakistan and attributed to local population, only to be admitted later by Pakistan’s leaders who directed and organised such cross-border attacks on India, and assaults on the local people”, he said.
“We will continue to encourage worldwide community to uphold promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the parts of J-K under illegal occupation of Pakistan, and hold the concerned accountable for their violation”, said Swarup.
Pakistan said Thursday it allows the United Nations to send a team to its part of Kashmir, days after India turned down request by the United Nations rights council to travel to the Indian-controlled Kashmir to investigate the alleged rights violations.
At least 65 people, including children, have been killed in Kashmir Valley battling the worst outbreak of unrest in many years.
Pakistan has been raising its pitch on the ongoing violence in Kashmir, stressing on rights violation by security forces, particularly during the crackdown on agitators following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Home minister Rajnath Singh was greeted by protests over Kashmir when he visited Islamabad earlier this month for a South Asian home ministers’ meeting. Pakistan’s offer over the weekend to send relief supplies to people in Kashmir annoyed India further.
The newspaper said there was no immediate response from New Delhi or Islamabad to the United Nations request. India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in its entirety but administer it in parts.
“The Government of Pakistan is aware that the framework for interactions between India and Pakistan is stipulated by the Simla Agreement of July 1972, wherein President Z A Bhutto agreed that the two countries resolve to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations, as also the Lahore Declaration of February 1999 wherein Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s determination to implement the Simla Agreement in letter and spirit”.
New Delhi has made it clear that if Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar visits Islamabad for talks with his Pakistani counterpart A A Chaudhry, the discussion should focus on the progress made in bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot terrorist attacks.
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“That position has not changed and has carried on from Vajpayee to (the tenure of Prime minister Narendra) Modi”, he said. It is Pakistan that has not honoured its commitments. “I think Pakistan will not accept India trying to hold it to its past commitments and will try and find a way to get out of talks with India”, Bhaskar said.
