Even as certain anti-national elements within India were rejoicing at the report prepared by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) alleging that there were grave human rights violation on India’s part in Kashmir, such elements were in for a rude shock. It has come to light that India is not the only country which is ridiculing this prejudiced report, but the entire world is standing firmly behind India. Pakistan continues to find itself isolated despite all attempts to mislead the international community on the reality of Kashmir.
During the ‘General debate on the overall update of the High Commissioner on the situation of Human Rights worldwide and on the activities of his office’ at the Human Rights Council, India found welcome support against the UNHRC report on Kashmir. When the report was discussed, a total of six countries rejected the report authored by Zeid Raad Al Hussein. This support came for India from across the globe spanning all major continents. While Bhutan and Afghanistan from Asia ridiculed the UNHRC report, the same was rejected by Mauritius from Africa, Belarus from Eurasia and Cuba and Venezuela from Latin America.
On the other hand, Pakistan found itself isolated at the general debate as no one came forward to support it. Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Farukh Amil appealed desperately on the behalf of his country to establish a commission of inquiry in Jammu and Kashmir. However, he did not find anything to add when he spoke on the behalf of OIC (Organisation of Islamic countries). The Pakistani envoy tried to pursue the oft-repeated Pakistani narrative that UNHRC report on Jammu & Kashmir indicates a grave situation in “Indian administered Kashmir” and that appropriate follow up action needs to be taken by the council. However, despite all his efforts, not a single country came out in support of Pakistan or the human rights report in Kashmir. At the same time, many raised aspersions on the timing and veracity of the report itself.
It seems that this biased report prepared by the UNHRC that called for an international inquiry into the alleged violations in undivided Jammu & Kashmir has failed to make any change as far as the global understanding of the Kashmir conflict is concerned. The report had detailed human right violations on both sides of the LoC, however, Pakistan and certain India-hating Indians tried to malign the nation by quoting this report every now and then.
It is clear that despite all the massive developments in Kashmir and all the motivated propaganda, the ground realities and the public opinion are not changing. Pakistan is still seen as the transgressor and India, a victim of its transgressions. As far as the UNHRC report is concerned, countries across continents are able to see through this facade. The Mauritian envoy openly stated, “this report of OHCHR in respect of the human rights situation in Kashmir does not provide a balanced assessment of the situation on the ground.” In fact, the purpose, timing and intent of this report has come under the scanner. Zeid Raad al-Hussein, a Jordanian diplomat, who drafted this report was recently seen with Pakistani Hurriyat faction leader Syed Faiz Naqshbandi and some other leaders from Pakistan which makes it clear that the report is vitiated by a clear conflict of interest and personal bias on the part of the author himself. This is also in violation of the High Commissioner’s mandate which states that he should conduct his work respecting “sovereignty, territorial integrity and domestic jurisdiction of member states”. It comes as a matter of relief how the world has seen through the flawed report and has decided to stand steadfastly with India while isolating Pakistan at the same time.