On March 7, at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari highlighted the “deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir, where women are particularly vulnerable”.
During a high-level debate in New York, Zardari highlighted the critical need to establish a monitoring mechanism for crimes against women committed in Kashmir.
“The most egregious hypocrisies and crimes against women and girls occur in foreign occupations and places where the right to self-determination is violated, such as the Palestinian Territory and Jammu and Kashmir. Against that backdrop, he stressed that all occupation forces must be held accountable to fully implement the women, peace and security agenda,” the Pakistan Minister said as per UNSC statement.
He said the world currently faces a pandemic of violence, war, hate, extremism and terrorism, which impacts civilians, particularly women and girls, the most.
Resolution 1325 (2000) has helped nearly 90 countries adopt action plans empowering women and girls and helping them respond to violence and conflict, while the expanded presence of women peacekeepers has contributed to preventing and containing conflicts and crimes against women.
Nevertheless, the sombre reality remains that women continue to be the primary victims of crimes and conflict around the globe, he said.
Meanwhile, responding to Zardari’s remarks, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj termed his statement as “baseless and politically motivated”.
“Before I conclude, let me dismiss the frivolous, baseless and politically motivated remarks made by the delegate of Pakistan regarding the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
“My delegation considers it unworthy to even respond to such malicious and false propaganda,” Kamboj said.
