India has urged Pakistan to end alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as protests over political repression, resource exploitation and rising prices intensify. BJP MP Mahima Kumari Mewar raised the issue at the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee.
India has called on Pakistan to end alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), accusing its military and associated groups of suppressing civilians protesting against political repression, economic hardships and the exploitation of natural resources.
India raised the issue at the United Nations General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, which deals with decolonisation, as tensions continued over protests in the region. BJP MP Mahima Kumari Mewar delivered the statement on Friday while exercising India’s right of reply to remarks by Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative, Usman Jadoon, who had brought Kashmir into the discussion.
Mewar alleged that Pakistani armed forces and their proxies had killed dozens of civilians in recent months as people demanded basic rights, freedoms and essential necessities. She urged Islamabad to immediately stop what India described as serious and continuing human rights violations in the territories under Pakistan’s control.
“We call upon Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in the areas illegally occupied by it, where the population is in open revolt against Pakistan, its military occupation, repression, brutality, and illegal exploitation of resources,” Mewar said at the committee.
She also criticised Pakistan’s political and human rights record, referring to allegations of military dictatorship, sham elections, the detention of popular elected leaders, religious extremism and the sponsorship of terrorism. Mewar argued that Pakistan should refrain from lecturing other countries on these issues at an international platform.
Reiterating India’s longstanding position on the region, she declared that Jammu and Kashmir remained an integral and inalienable part of India.
Protests Over Political and Economic Grievances
The remarks came amid reports of widespread protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where residents have expressed anger over political interference, economic difficulties and the alleged exploitation of local resources.
According to the information presented in the report, more than 90 people have been killed by Pakistani security forces during the unrest. The protests reportedly began in response to concerns that outsiders were being sent into the region to influence elections. Public anger subsequently grew over deteriorating living conditions, rising prices and dissatisfaction with the use of the region’s natural wealth.
The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil society coalition, has emerged as a leading force in the broader protest movement. The demonstrations have reflected growing public demands for basic necessities, political rights and greater accountability from the authorities.
India’s intervention at the United Nations brought renewed international attention to the allegations surrounding the unrest. Pakistan’s position and the circumstances surrounding the reported casualties remain central to the broader dispute over Kashmir.
Mewar, who represents Rajasthan’s Rajsamand constituency in the Lok Sabha, is a member of India’s delegation to the UN General Assembly.
India Reaffirms Commitment to Decolonisation
Earlier, while delivering India’s statement before the Fourth Committee, Mewar reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to supporting the global decolonisation process.
She noted that the struggle against colonialism had been long and difficult. Although more than 80 countries had freed themselves from colonial rule, she said the process remained incomplete.
Seventeen non-self-governing territories remain on the United Nations’ agenda, and Mewar called for a pragmatic approach to achieving decolonisation while respecting the legitimate wishes of the people concerned.
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The committee’s discussions also included the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas. The islands remain a subject of dispute between Argentina, which claims sovereignty over them, and the United Kingdom, which administers them. The issue has repeatedly prompted exchanges between the two countries and their respective supporters at the United Nations.
India’s statement combined its criticism of Pakistan’s actions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with a broader appeal for progress on decolonisation. The remarks underscored New Delhi’s position that human rights, political freedoms and the aspirations of affected populations should remain important considerations in international discussions.
