Srinagar: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairman Syed Ali Geelani, on Friday expressed his ‘deep concern’ over the reports of use chemical weapons by the Indian armed forces against militants during encounters.
APHC is an alliance of 26 political, social and religious organizations formed on March 9, 1993, as a united political front to ‘raise the Kashmir cause’.
Referring to the Bahmnoo, Pulwama encounter, Geelani said, “The Indian forces are using chemical agents against brave hearts, and added that it is serious violation of human norms and urged the international community to take their cognizance and probe and look into the matter.”
“India is engaging all its military might against unarmed and innocent people in Kashmir and trampling all humanitarian rights of civilians,” he further added.
Geelani said that Indian armed forces, during encounters, lay siege to a large area and explosives are to raze residential houses to the ground.
He added that many times the forces ‘use including children as human shields’ and people feel insecure even in their residences.
“Its (chemical weapons) use is a serious violation of all norms and is against the ‘Chemical Weapons Convention’,” added Geelani.
According to eye witness reports about the Bahmnoo encounter, chemical weapons were used to burn and char the bodies of militants beyond recognition.
Geelani appealed to the International Human Rights organizations & urged them to take cognizance and help save precious lives in the ‘Indian occupied state’.
