Press India to respect human rights in Kashmir:Pak to UNSC P-5

Pakistan today asked the five permanent UNSC members to take notice of the tense situation in Kashmir and call on India to "respect human rights" of the people in the violence-hit Valley.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed the envoys of China, France, Russia, UK and US on the situation in Kashmir, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

"He (Chaudhry) expressed Pakistan's serious concern over the brutal killings of civilians and violation of their other fundamental human rights by the Indian security forces," it said in a statement.

The foreign secretary said that India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against the individuals responsible for these killings.

Chaudhry urged the international community and particularly the five permanent members of the UN Security Council "to take notice of the gravity of the situation, call on India to respect human rights" of the people of Kashmir and implement UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.

The Foreign Secretary rejected "India's attempts to claim that the deteriorating human rights situation" in Kashmir was its "internal affair" and emphasised that "the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir is awaiting the implementation of the UNSC resolutions."

He said "killings of innocent Kashmiri people could not be condoned under the pretext of terrorism."

Chaudhry said "the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination" cannot be equated with terrorism.

"Such inhumane and oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions," he said.

India had yesterday asked Pakistan to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a statement expressing "shock" at the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir during an encounter.