Geneva: India on Monday said that Pakistan should dismantle its 'special terrorist zones' and end its ‘illegal and forcible’ occupation of PoK, as the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Pakistan was presented before the Human Rights Council (HRC).
The UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN member states. It is a state-driven process, under the auspices of the UNHRC, which provides the opportunity for each state to declare what actions have been taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations.
The UPR was created through the UN General Assembly on March 15, 2006, by resolution 60/251, which established the UNHRC itself.
This is the third UPR of Pakistan, being undertaken in the course of the 28th Session of the UPR Working Group.
India, in its recommendation, said the Pakistan government should "provide freedom to the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) by ending its illegal and forcible occupation."
It also recommended that Pakistan take action on terror financing.
India's Statement
on the Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan pic.twitter.com/LXEgO2SFom— India at UN, Geneva (@IndiaUNGeneva) November 13, 2017
At the same time, First Secretary in the Mission Sumit Seth urged Pakistan to stop the targeting of political dissidents and illegitimate criticism in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stop torture, enforced disappearance and unlawful killings, including that of journalists and activists by its security agencies.
India further said that Pakistan should end harassment of minorities, and place procedural and institutional safeguards to stop misuse of the blasphemy law, and end forceful conversions and marriages of minorities, including Hindus, Sikh and Christian women.
India also said that Pakistan should stop persecution of Muslim minorities such as Shias, Ahmadiyas, Ismailia and Hazaras.
(With IANS inputs)
