Pakistan condemns increasing harassment & illegal arrests of Kashmiri journalists & civil society activists in IIOJK

ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (SABAH): Pakistan has condemned the increasing harassment, illegal arrests and registration of fake criminal cases against journalists and civil society activists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad in a statement issued on Sunday said that the reported attack on Kashmir Press Club yesterday manifestly reflects India’s entrenched use of brute force and coercion to forcibly silence those raising voices against its horrendous crimes and egregious human rights violations IIOJK.

He said that equally condemnable is the increasing use of draconian and inhumane laws including Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Public Safety Act (PSA) and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) with impunity in IIOJK, which reflects India’s colonial mindset.

FO spokesperson said that India’s state-sponsored terrorism can never weaken the resolve of the Kashmiris for their right to self-determination.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan calls upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights and humanitarian bodies to hold India accountable for its unabated harassment and illegal arrests of journalists, human rights defenders and other civil society activists in IIOJK.