Pakistan has reaffirmed at the United Nations Human Rights Council that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory. Adeel Mumtaz Khokhar, Pakistan’s First Secretary, emphasized that this status is reflected in United Nations Security Council resolutions and cannot be erased by unilateral actions.
Speaking during the right of reply, Khokhar rejected India’s claims over the region and stated that denying the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination constitutes a violation of human rights under the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. He said India, as a member of the international community, is obligated to allow Kashmiri citizens to exercise this right.
Khokhar highlighted the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He cited detention of mainstream leaders, suppression of peaceful assembly, and restrictions on religious freedoms, including limits on Friday prayers and Eid gatherings. “A State that fears prayers fears its people,” he remarked.
He also accused India of cross-border terrorism, referencing the capture of Indian naval officer Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav for orchestrating attacks in Pakistan. Khokhar added that India’s campaign extends beyond its neighbors to North America and Europe, citing the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the trial of Nikhil Gupta in the United States as examples of state-backed terrorism.
Khokhar further criticized India for unilaterally announcing the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, stressing that treaty obligations cannot be ignored or weaponized.
He concluded by urging India to comply with international law, calling Pakistan’s reminders of legal and moral responsibilities constructive rather than provocative. “If our reminder has unsettled India, the answer lies in compliance, not deflection,” Khokhar stated.
