Shireen Mazari terms India abolishing Kashmir’s status a war crime

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari on Wednesday termed India’s move to abolish the special status of occupied Kashmir as a war crime.

Addressing the second day of a joint session of Parliament, Mazari said there could not be peace in the region when India was preparing for war.

Shireen Mazari condemned the move and said India’s attempts to change the status of occupied Kashmir were not only illegal but also in violation of the Geneva Convention, which attributes any change in the demographic composition of held territory as a war crime.

The scrapping of Articles 370 and 35-A violated the Shimla Accord, the decisions of India’s superior courts and all international norms, she said, as she urged the international community to take notice of the situation and the resulting risk of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the valley.

“The voice of Kashmiris is the voice of Pakistan. We will take action which will make it clear to Kashmiris that we are standing with them.”

The federal minister said there was a need for a consensus joint resolution to be passed in the National Assembly. “The impact of this is globally is the most effective.”

On India’s use of cluster ammunition against civilians in Azad Kashmir, Mazari noted that both Pakistan and India are signatories to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and India’s actions were in clear violation of the agreement. Pakistan will use all international platforms to draw the attention of the world towards the grave situation in occupied Kashmir, she added