Wani Calls For An End To Culture Of Impunity In Occupied Kashmir

Terming freedom of peaceful assembly and association as a fundamental human right, the veteran human rights activist and leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Altaf Hussain Wani said India

MIRPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Sep, 2017 ) : Terming freedom of peaceful assembly and association as a fundamental human right, the veteran human rights activist and leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Altaf Hussain Wani said India, in gross contravention to international human rights instruments, had given a freehand to it's over 700,000 troops to deprive Kashmiris of these rights.

Wani who was heading a 9-member Kashmiri delegation said this taking part in discussions held on the sidelines of 36th session of United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, says a message released to the media here Tuesday.

"The peaceful gatherings and marches of Kashmiri people including funeral processions and public prayers are met with brute force. This uninterrupted violence perpetrated is in continuation of decades of military repression and denial of people's rights.

Many people including men, women and children have been subjected to the fatal consequences and permanent disabilities as a result of this indiscriminate use of force and in particular pellet shot guns," Wani said.

Speaking on behalf of World Muslim Congress Wani said, "Since July 2016, this supposedly non-lethal weapon has injured over 12,000 people, around 1,500 of them in eyes. Over 88 have been injured in both the eyes which rendered them completely visionless for the rest of their life." Demanding an end to the culture of official impunity in Kashmir, he said, "If Impunity continues children in Kashmir will continue to be killed and blinded." "United States and Great Britain denied visa to Narendra Modi for alleged summary executions of hundreds of Muslims in his state of Gujrat - did they pursue this policy once he became the prime minister of India," he asked.