In connection with the International Human Rights Day, the incarcerated chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah said the “criminal silence” maintained by the world community with regard to unabated human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir is “shocking”.In a statement issued to KNS, Shah said the international community must now break the silence and play its role in putting end to human rights violations taking place in Jammu and Kashmir “due to which this paradise of earth has been turned into hell”.“It is shocking and unfortunate that big claims regarding safeguarding the human rights are being made across the world but complete and criminal silence is maintained over Kashmir where situation is worsening with each passing day,” he said.Giving reference to the United Nation’s charter of “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, Shah said: “Though the charter presses for equal treatment and rights for every human being in the world, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been deprived of the same as India’s atrocities upon them are downplayed and not highlighted or taken notice of.
As such, the unabated human rights violations, the trampling of every right and freedom of people, innocent killings and unmarked graves in the state are the result. This is no doubt a tragedy for the people of this oppressed land.”Giving brief details, the DFP chairman said from last 70 years, more than five lakh human lives have lost, properties worth billions were destroyed, thousands of unmarked graves came to fore, thousands turned widows and about one lakh became orphans. “During only last five months, more than 100 people have been killed, about 16000 injured, 10000 put behind bars, and hundreds of children were blinded. These figures clearly reveal that there is terror ruling the roost in the largest militarised zone of the world,” he said.Shah said in so-called largest democracy of the world, there is a complete ban of the activities of resistance leadership who are neither allowed to perform their religious obligations nor leave the state.He said the killings have became a routine affair and prisons of the state been filled as the draconian laws like Public Safety Act (PSA) and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) are in force.Shah said the Indian occupational forces are using rape and physical abuse as a war tool and urged the international human rights organisations to take cognizance of the worsening situation in Jammu and Kashmir."As global human rights bodies are championing their cause, they are duty-bound to take account of the miseries the people of Jammu and Kashmir are going through. It is unfortunate that even world nations are maintaining complete silence with regard to Kashmir,” he said, adding, “the world powers must instead exert pressure on India to stop committing human rights violations in the state.
"The DFP chairman added: “On this day, the United Nations must rise to take initiatives of implementing the resolutions passed in the security council regarding Kashmir dispute. It should also take notice of arbitrary arrests of youths and those languishing in jails besides play role in identifying the thousands of persons buried in unmarked graves across Kashmir."Meanwhile, Shah expressed grief over the fateful accident of a Pakistan International Airlines plane, in which renowned religious personality Junaid Jamshed was also travelling, that crashed Wednesday on a domestic flight from Chitral to Islamabad, killing all 47 people on board. He expressed condolence and solidarity with the bereaved families.Shah also expressed condoled the demise of renowned advocate Majid Jahangir and JKLF leader Ghulam Rasool Hazari and hailed both personalities for their contribution towards freedom movement. On Shah’s directions, a Freedom Party delegation led by secretary general Moulana Abdullah Tari visited the bereaved families and extended condolences with them besides prayer for their forbearance.Meanwhile, a party spokesperson paid tributes to youths martyred in Arwani, Bijbehara saying “we’re indebted to the sacrifices of our martyrs”. (KNS)