Islamabad(Daily Parliament Times): Denouncing in strong terms the mutilation of martyred youth’s dead body by Indian troops in Reasi district the vice president of Democratic Freedom Party Mehmood Ahmed Saghar has said that the barbaric act was a sign of degradation and debasement, which amounts to a serious war crime.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday Saghar urged the world human rights defenders to take strong notice of what he called the inhuman face of the occupation forces in the territory. “The so-called Indian security forces have crossed all limits of cruelty and barbarism in Kashmir. Dragging dead body of youth by chains tied to his legs speaks volumes about lack of discipline and moral degradation in Indian Army”, Saghar said adding that “rogue army” was too small a word to condemn this inhuman act. He said that instead of holding accountable all such criminal minded officials/soldiers for their barbaric conduct they were being conferred awards by the government of India. He also denounced the stepped up human rights violations and recent spate of youth killing by Indian forces in length and breadth of the troubled valley.
Saghar also voiced serious concern over the deteriorating health condition of Shah who has fainted during an ongoing trial conducted via video conferencing from Tihar Jail. Seeking international human rights bodies’ help for the early release of the ailing leader he said that Shah’s health had deteriorated to an alarming proportion. Quoting his family he said, “Shah Sahib is not even able to stand on his legs. The jail authorities are not providing him the basic medical care”. He said that despite repeated requests for his medical check up the Tihar jail authorities were playing with his life and not providing him due medical cases. The former convener of APHC-Pak chapter also hailed the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet’s remarks on Kashmir. ” It is heartening to see that the UNHCR chief and her predecessor have issued strong statements in favour of oppressed people of Kashmir and have urged the government of India to respect their fundamental rights but for any positive change to take place in the troubled region, there is a dire need that New Delhi should be pressurized to reverse its current course, allow an unhindered access to international human rights organizations to investigate ongoing human rights violations in the region”, he said.
He said that notwithstanding the recommendations of the report to improve human rights situation in Kashmir, New Delhi remained stick to its muscular policy to crush the voice of dissent in the region. He was of the view that the UNHCR report will serve no purpose if the Indian state found guilty of using systematic violence against Kashmiris was not held accountable at international level.
Meanwhile, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, on behalf of incarcerated party chairman Shabir Ahmed Shah, had condoled the demise of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz the wife of former Pakistan prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Terming Begum Kulsoom as a woman of substance Saghar in a condolence letter addressed to former PM Nawaz Sharif said, “Civility, patience and valour has been hallmark of her down to earth personality”. Expressing his deepest condolences with Sharif family he said that her [Kulsoom’s] political struggle and services for democracy will be remembered for a long time in the annals of Pakistan’s democratic history.
