ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday apprised the president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UN secretary general of the continuing grave situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

       In his letter addressed to the president of UNSC and UN secretary general, the foreign minister pointed to the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in held Kashmir and the persistent threat to international peace and security posed by India’s provocative and irresponsible rhetoric as well as its track record of orchestrating false flag operations.

       He demanded settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council which guarantee the Kashmiris right to self-determination through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations.

       The foreign minister drew the attention to the recent spate of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions in India-occupied Kashmir, says a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

       He highlighted the recent arrest of renowned Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez on trumped-up charges in complete disregard for basic human rights principles, norms and international law.

       Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2021