ISLAMABAD, JUNE 20 / DNA / = Pakistan strongly condemns the unabated extra-judicial killings of Kashmiri youth by the Indian occupation forces in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

More than 110 innocent Kashmiris have been martyred by the Indian occupation forces during the past 5 months in fake “encounters” and so-called “cordon-and-search” operations. In the last two days alone, another 8 Kashmiris have been martyred in Pulwama and Shopian.

The BJP leadership must realize that it is directly responsible for these politically-motivated, arbitrary killings of Kashmiris by the Indian security forces. The international law prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of life and extra-judicial killings. This norm is codified in every major human rights treaty and convention. No illegal Act, such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), can sanctify or provide legal cover to a crime recognized as such by international law.

The international community must take immediate cognizance of the persistent reports of arbitrary and extra-judicial killings in IOJ&K, falsely labelled as having been the result of “encounters” or as having occurred in “cross-fire.” The virtual impunity of the Indian occupation forces must end and the perpetrators must be held accountable for such heinous crimes against the Kashmiri people. India fully comply with its international legal obligations.