New Delhi: Kashmiri socio political activist Tasleema Akhtar has raised concerns over the situation in Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir at the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Akhtar, who is associated with the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir, spoke about recent protests in the region and alleged that security forces used force against civilians demanding basic rights. She called for independent investigations into every reported death, with access to information related to the cases.
During her intervention, Akhtar referred to Pakistan’s use of the term “Azad Kashmir” for the territory and challenged that description, arguing that people cannot be considered free if they face violence for demanding fundamental rights.
She also alleged that Pakistan had failed to protect the rights of people in the region and used the phrase “turned PoK into a graveyard” while describing the reported violence. The remarks represent Akhtar’s assessment of the situation and allegations raised during her intervention, rather than an independent UN finding.
Akhtar highlighted recent demonstrations led by the Joint Awami Action Committee and other civil society groups over governance and economic concerns. She alleged that authorities responded with arrests of activists, detention of key leaders, restrictions on internet and communication services, and violent clashes in which people were killed and injured.
She further argued that civic space in the region had narrowed and urged the UN Human Rights Council to support the restoration of communication services and ensure independent investigations into reported deaths.
The issue has also been raised by other speakers during the current UNHRC session, with calls for greater scrutiny of alleged arrests, violence and communication restrictions in Pakistan administered parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Akhtar’s intervention has brought the recent protests and allegations concerning civilian rights in the region onto the agenda of an international human rights forum.
