At the 59th UNHRC session in Geneva, leaders of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) called on the United Nations to urgently investigate human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).
The leaders of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) at the sidelines of the 59th UNHRC session in Geneva raised alarm over escalating human rights abuses and state repression in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).
Chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri and spokesperson Nasir Aziz Khan condemned Pakistan’s systematic crackdown on dissent, the targeting of political activists, and the silencing of the media.
Pakistan’s Crackdown on Dissent and Free Speech Highlighted
Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of UKPNP, spoke at the sidelines of the session, stressing the worsening situation in both PoJK and PoGB. “Leaders of the National Action Committee in PoGB are jailed without access to basic facilities,” he said.
He condemned Pakistan’s crackdown on dissent in PoJK, revealing the recent extrajudicial killing of two brothers and the subsequent suppression of media coverage. The press club that tried to report the incident was shut down. The victim’s family continues to be harassed, and no FIR has been registered, he added.
He urged the UNHRC to send a fact-finding mission to hear the voices of the victims directly.
Protest Outside UN Spotlights PoJK and PoGB Atrocities
Speaking alongside him, UKPNP spokesperson Nasir Aziz Khan echoed these concerns. “We organised this protest to draw global attention to the growing extremism, terrorism, and state repression in PoJK and PoGB,” Khan said.
He highlighted how political activists and human rights defenders are being jailed on fabricated charges for demanding basic rights, justice, and control over local resources.
Khan also raised alarm over the lack of freedom of expression and the state’s failure to rein in extremist forces. “During the recent crisis between India and Pakistan, extremist elements operated freely, while civilians near the Line of Control saw their homes destroyed and lives upended,” he said. He called on Pakistan to compensate displaced families and ensure their rehabilitation.
The United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) held a demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva during the 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The protest aimed to spotlight severe human rights abuses in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), regions the UKPNP says are suffering under Pakistan’s “colonial rule.”
NGO Representative Condemns Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism
Faiza Rifat from Rajasthan’s Tonk representing RSKS India (UNHRC, NGO speaker), spoke at the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Tuesday, advocating fiercely against terrorism, condemning the terrorist attack in Jammu-Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 innocent civilians were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
In her video intervention as an NGO speaker, Rifat condemned the horrific attack as part of the persistent cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir, accusing Pakistan of continuously supporting terrorist organisations.
She characterised the incident as a grave violation of human rights and a direct menace to global peace and security.
Call for Global Accountability and Support for CAA
Rifat called for international intervention, urging the global community to hold Pakistan responsible for its sponsorship of terrorism and demanding a unified and decisive response to state-sponsored terror activities.
Her remarks at the UNHRC highlighted the increasing civilian deaths in Jammu and Kashmir. They reaffirmed the necessity of safeguarding the right to life, liberty, and security as stated in international human rights law.
The 59th session of the Human Rights Council commenced its four-week meeting in Geneva with the annual report from the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, regarding the global human rights situation.
Previously, Faiza Rifat expressed her support for India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Rifat emphasised that the CAA aims to provide a path to citizenship for religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Rifat stated that the CAA fulfils an urgent need by granting refuge and legal status to those who have faced persecution in their home countries historically.
