ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Friday stressed the importance of ‘human rights diplomacy’ for promoting the Kashmir cause at the international forums.

Addressing the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr Mazari said Pakistan should utilise human rights diplomacy for highlighting the human rights violations in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

She said this could be done through lobbying with the European Union and its member states for the revocation of India’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Standard Status and imposition of sanctions on India in line with EU’s Directorate General for External Policies’ Guidelines, 2015.

Pakistan has to move proactively on multiple international forums in a coordinated manner, she said, adding that advisory opinion of ICJ on the matter would be a viable way forward.

Omar Warraich, regional director for Amnesty International, told the committee that his organisation had been following the human rights violations in occupied Kashmir with grave concern. Several reports have been issued highlighting the atrocities and human rights violations by Indian forces.

Mazari says no FIR registered against any journalist

Senate Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed said there were no political differences and divergences on Kashmir cause; the entire political spectrum shared the same line and passion to address this issue and ensure protection of fundamental rights of people of Indian occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Ms Mazari, apparently referring to a news item about the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registering cases against journalists, denied any such action.

The minister took to her social media account on Twitter and said: “This was disturbing news so I checked & my info is it’s incorrect. A private citizen has sent complaint to FIA against around 12 journalists. FIA examines all complaints but NO FIR has been registered & FIA can’t register FIR under PECA without following specified legal procedure.”

She further tweeted: “If anyone has contrary evdence in terms of FIRs do let me know so I can follow up further”.

On Thursday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed apprehensions over unconfirmed reports that the FIA was registering cases against 49 journalists and social media activists under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.

The HRCP called upon the state to refrain from such action and stop using the FIA to curb political dissent.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2020