OIC-IPHRC delegation concludes five-day visit to Pakistan and Azad Kashmir

Organization of Islamic Cooperation representatives visit refugees from Indian-controlled Kashmir at a camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan's Azad Jammu and Kashmir on August 6, 2021. (Photo courtesy: AJK government)

• 12-member delegation undertook trip to assess “deteriorating human rights situation” in Indian-administered Kashmir
• Several requests have been made by IPHRC to India over the years to allow fact-finding mission to visit Srinagar, all have been denied

ISLAMABAD: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) concluded its five-day visit to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) today, Monday.
The 12-member IPHRC delegation was led by its chairperson, Dr. Saeed Al Ghufli, and undertook the visit to AJK to meet with refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir and assess the “deteriorating human rights situation” there.
During its stay in Pakistan, the IPHRC delegation was received by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. The delegation also met the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Affairs headed by Shehryar Afridi as well as Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood. 
In AJK, the IPHRC delegation called on President Masood Khan and widely interacted with Kashmiri refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir, the leadership of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Kashmiri civil society members and media representatives. The IPHRC delegation also visited the Line of Control (LoC) and met with the victims of cease-fire violations. 
“The aim of these extensive and wide-ranging interactions was to assess the human rights and humanitarian situation ... to investigate and report on the human rights abuses by the Indian security forces,” the foreign office said in a statement, saying the delegation would now make recommendations for the “promotion and protection of Kashmiris’ basic civil, political, social, economic, religious and cultural rights including their inalienable right to self-determination, guaranteed by numerous resolutions of the UN Security Council.” 
“The IPHRC delegation also witnessed the human impact of the indiscriminate shelling carried out by Indian security forces across the LoC which results in the precious loss of lives, injuries to civilians including women and children, and damage to civilian property and infrastructure in AJK,” the foreign office said. 
Several requests have been made by the IPHRC to India over the years to allow a fact-finding mission to visit Srinagar. All have been denied. 
“Pakistan welcomes the IPHRC’s efforts for bringing to the attention of the international community the plight of Kashmiris enduring gross, systematic and widespread human rights abuses,” the foreign office said.