Geneva [Switzerland], September 26 : Human rights defender from Jammu and Kashmir Javed Beigh spoke to ANI on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, raising concerns over what he described as human rights violations and violence in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).
“PoGB is an unfortunate part of our greater Jammu and Kashmir, which Pakistan snatched from us in 1947 and illegally occupied,” Beigh said.
He alleged that the Pakistani establishment and Pakistani Rangers were responsible for violence and human rights violations in PoGB.
“At the 63rd UNHRC session, I spoke about PoGB, the human rights violations, the violence that the Pakistani establishment and the Pakistani Rangers are doing there; the whole world should know about it,” he said.
Referring to members of the Awami Action Committee, Beigh said Advocate Ahsan Ali and his associates were kept in jail for three months without bail.
“Recently, the members of the Awami Action Committee, especially Advocate Ahsan Ali and his associates, were kept in jail for three months without any bail. And he is a 70-year-old senior Advocate,” he said.
Beigh said the Awami Action Committee is an amalgam of social, religious and political organisations and described it as “genuine leadership”.
He further said members of the Awami Action Committee were kept under Schedule 4 of Pakistan's anti-terrorism law.
“All the members of the Awami Action Committee are kept in Schedule 4. It is an anti-terrorism law in which you put a person in hell while he is alive,” Beigh said.
Beigh also raised the case of teenage boy Rayan Ali, whom he alleged was gunned down by Pakistani Rangers in PoGB.
“This is the picture of a teenage boy, Rayan Ali, who was unfortunately gunned down by Pakistani Rangers, the Pakistani establishment, in PoGB, Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan,” Beigh said.
“I condemn this act, and I want to convey this message to the world, especially to the United Nations Human Rights Council, that Pakistan should be held responsible for this barbaric and cowardly act,” he added.
He urged the international community and members of the UNHRC to take cognisance of the issue.
“I request the international community, especially the members of the UNHRC, to take cognisance of this barbarity, this operation, and they should hold the Pakistani establishment, the Pakistani government, responsible for all these atrocities and oppression on the civilian population of PoGB,” he said.
Beigh reiterated his position that PoGB and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) are part of Jammu and Kashmir.
“As I said before, PoGB and POJK are a part of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has illegally occupied them, but over time, they will become a part of Greater Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.
He said people from Jammu and Kashmir had continued to speak for the people of PoGB.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have an inner passion for our brothers and sisters of PoGB. We understand their pain, and from 1947 to this day, we have always spoken for them,” Beigh said.
Beigh also spoke about what he described as differences between PoGB and the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir.
“There is a big difference between PoGB and J&K's Ladakh area. PoGB is a part of Greater Ladakh. Ladakh is a different region of Greater J&K. PoGB is a beautiful part of that region,” he said.
Referring to infrastructure projects, Beigh said the Z-Morh Tunnel (officially renamed the Sonamarg Tunnel) and Zojila Tunnel would connect Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh's remote areas.
He also alleged that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had not benefited PoGB.
“Except for the so-called CPEC that China has created, it has no benefit for PoGB. Not at all,” he said.