Human rights activist writes to UN about Pak-sponsored terrorist attacks on Hindu minorities in J-K

Professor Fernand de Varennes, special rapporteur on minority issues on Tuesday has written a letter to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) informing about the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacks on the Hindu minority communities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The attacks were carried out to create panic and to terrorise the minority Hindu community.

The incident took place in an area that was highly secured, as it was close to the United Nations Observers Office and a Police Station, said Varennes.

"It is, indeed, sad and shocking. This youngster's life was taken by a Pakistan-sponsored terror group because he did not belong to the Muslim community, which is the majority community in Kashmir, and was there to earn his livelihood," wrote the Human rights activist.

In a letter to UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Varennes gave details about the recent violent occurrences that was carried out by Pakistan to terrorise the minority Hindu community in the valley.

Recently, a son of a popular Dhaba owner in Srinagar, who was critically injured in a terrorist attack on February 17, died in a hospital on Sunday.

Professor Fernand de Varennes informed that the incident took place when a delegation of foreign diplomats were on a two-day trip to Jammu and Kashmir.

"On December 31, 2020, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists shot dead a 67-year-old jeweller. It is to be noted that Satpal, the jeweller had received a domicile certificate a few days before being shot," read the letter.

As per Varennes, "Pakistan did this on the day when diplomats were there because they wanted their message to be heard loud and clear by everyone, including the global community that Islamabad will not let peace prevail in the region. Pakistan hates Hindus, particularly those living in Kashmir, and hence, do not want to digest normalcy in the valley."

"This horrific killing is very alarming and if such incidents are not stopped, these might lead to another cold, dark night like January 19, 1990, that had become the worst nightmare for minority Hindu Kashmiri Pandits who were forced out of the valley by calls from inside Mosques to flee or face death," read the letter.

He urged to UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to put pressure on the Pakistan government to take strong action against terrorist organizations acting from its territory, impose sanctions on Pakistan.

"Now, it is not the condemnation that is needed for this brutal act, but urgent action needs to be done. People who display sympathy to the terrorist groups are often used by Pakistan to inflict injury to India. They should stop sympathising with the terrorists so that such incidents come to a permanent halt," advised the activist.

He also called OHCHR to take Suo Moto cognizance of the issue and constitute a special committee to investigate the matter and ensure that the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity intervenes in the issue and seeks clarification from Pakistan.

(ANI)

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