Pakistan condemns 'extrajudicial killings' of 3 in Indian-administered Kashmir

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Pakistan on Thursday condemned the alleged "extrajudicial killings" of three more Kashmiri by Indian forces in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The unabated wanton state-terrorism by the Indian occupation forces resulted in the martyrdom of three more young Kashmiris in fake encounters in Shopian and Islamabad districts of IIOJK (Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir)," alleged Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Asim Iftikhar Ahmad during his weekly briefing in the capital Islamabad.

Since Aug. 2019, Indian security forces have killed 670 Kashmiris in "extrajudicial killings," while 150 people have been killed this year, according to Ahmad.

"Today, the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is the world’s most heavily militarized zone, which has in fact been turned into the world’s largest prison – where people are not allowed to speak freely; APHC leadership, youth, journalists, civil society and human rights defenders are jailed and silenced," he added.

He said these actions are unacceptable and condemnable and urged the international community to call upon India to end its gross and systematic violations of human rights in Kashmir.

- Disputed region

Kashmir is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of the region is also controlled by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars – in 1948, 1965, and 1971 – two of them over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights groups, thousands of people have been killed and tortured in the conflict since 1989.