Pakistan actively pursuing Kashmiris' cause at UN: Maleeha Lodhi

NEW YORK - Pakistan's UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi Friday briefed representatives of the Kashmiri diaspora in New York on the evolving situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir on the back of grave human rights violations being committed in the region by Indian security forces.

Ambassador Lodhi informed participants of the meeting, which was convened at the Pakistan Mission to the UN in New York, that the government of Pakistan stood firm in its principled policy of providing moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmir cause, according to a press release of the mission.

Pakistan is actively pursuing the issue at various forums at the United Nations, the statement said. Ambassador Lodhi also stressed the importance of an independent inquiry into the recent extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth leader Burhan Wani and innocent protesters.

The plight of unarmed Kashmiri civilians, killed, blinded and maimed was forcefully brought to the attention of the international community by Ambassador Lodhi, who also highlighted the latest escalation by Indian forces during her statement at the General Assembly in a debate on human rights.

She also raised this during meetings with the UN leadership as well as with the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Koro Bessho of Japan.

The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, had also written to the UN Secretary-General Ban ki Moon, the Security Council president, OIC Secretary-General Iyad Ameen Madani and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein to express Pakistan's concerns regarding the alarming situation in Indian occupied Kashmir, drawing their attention to the brutal killing of innocent civilians and grave violations of the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiris by Indian forces.

Denial of the right of self determination to the people of occupied Kashmir through an independent plebiscite promised to them by various Security Council resolutions, was at the heart of the current flare up, which threatened regional peace and security, Ambassador Lodhi told participants.

She called for the UN to fulfil its 68-year-old promise to the Kashmiri people.

Pakistan's Consul General in New York Raja Ali Ejaz was also present at the meeting.