KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a civil rights body working under United Nations, has written to Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi seeking permission to send its team to troubled Kashmir, Kashmir Life has come to know.
Highly placed informed sources revealed late Friday night that during the All Party Meeting held in New Delhi early in the day under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj informed the meeting about the latest development viz-a-viz Kashmir.
Kashmir is witnessing a renewed mass civil uprising since July 09, 2016 triggered by death of popular militant commander Burhan Wani. At least 57 civilians have been killed by forces while over 6000 persons have been injured.
“We have received a letter from UNHRC seeking permission to send its team to Kashmir,” Sushma told the meeting, sources said. The purpose of the visit by the proposed UNHRC team is to investigate alleged human rights violations.
The sources said that the meeting unanimously declined to give any such permission for “Delhi has always avoided UNHRC involving in Kashmir”.
The sources said that the MEA has received the letter on July 19, 2016.
Notably, Kashmir is witnessing complete shutdown for 35th consecutive day today while government has continued its strict curfew across Kashmir all these days. There are allegations of grave “human rights allegations against forces”.
When the issue of UNHRC letter was being discussed, sources added, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi advocated that such a team be allowed to visit Kashmir. “It is not first time that such a team is coming to Kashmir,” he is reported to have made a point, “last time it was UN Special Rapporteur visiting Kashmir.”
Notably, it was in 2011 January that Margaret Sekaggya, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, visited Kashmir in the backdrop of 2010 mass uprising.
Making his point, Owaisi referred to Nepal Case, “Delhi took the issue of human rights situation in Nepal to UN, so it should allow UNHRC team to visit Kashmir as well.”
