ISLAMABAD: A day after the vice president and 15 members of the European Parliament expressed concerns regarding the “worsening humanitarian and human rights situation” in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Pakistan on Saturday welcomed the gesture, observing it was yet “another demonstration of the continuing global censure of rights violations and humanitarian crisis” in the disputed region.
In a letter addressing EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the bloc’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy chief Josep Borrell, Fabio Massimo Castaldo said: “As a champion of universal human rights, fundamental freedoms and the ruled-based international order, the EU must raise its voice against the violations of human rights affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
He said that the “EU should use all its leverage and tools” to cooperate with Pakistan and India “to honour the pledge made to the Kashmiris by the international community” and to implement UN resolutions.
“EU can’t back down,” Castaldo said on Twitter
Togheter with 15 colleagues of the #EP I sent a letter to Ursula #VonDerLeyen and Josep #Borrell regarding the worning humanitarian and human rights situation in #Kashmir. #EU can’t back down. pic.twitter.com/LMmqF66RSR
— Fabio Massimo Castaldo (@FMCastaldo) July 30, 2021
Responding to media queries, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said despite India peddling “false propaganda in futile attempts to push the sham narrative of so-called normalcy in occupied Kashmir”, the global censure and condemnation of state-backed atrocities in the region continued unabated.
He said India must realise it could no longer ignore the growing international calls to end its grave and systematic rights violations of the people of Kashmir.
The spokesperson said India would have to ultimately give in to global pressure, end the rights violations and take steps for peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and wishes of the local population.
