PoK activist breaks down at UNHRC, pleads to stop Pak from treating people like 'animals'

Human rights activist Sajjad Raja on Thursday broke into tears while raising his voice against the atrocities faced by the people living in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to stop Pakistan from treating them like ‘animals’.

While making an intervention during the 45th Session of the UNHRC in Geneva, Prof Sajjad Raja said that the POK Election Act 2020 has snatched all constitutional, civil and political rights of the citizens of POK region.

"We the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir plead the council to stop Pakistan from treating us like animals. The POK election Act 2020 has taken away all of our constitutional, civil and political rights. Our activities opposing accession to Pakistan have been declared anti-state in flagrant violations of United Nations Resolutions," said Raja, Chairman of the National Equality Party JKGBL.

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He further said the Act allows the Pakistani Army to assassinate people through targeted killings and enforce disappearances if found engaging in political activities. The people are treated as traitors for simply defending their own homes, he added.

"Pakistan is brainwashing innocent youth on both sides of the border in Jammu and Kashmir making them cannon fodder in the proxy war with India. Pakistan continues to run terror camps from POK," the activist said.

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Activist begs for peace

Further speaking on Pakistan’s recent claims on the region of Gilgit Baltistan in J&K, Sajjad Raja said, the country is now trying to declare the disputed territory of Gilgit Baltistan as its province and is depriving the people of their land and their identity and culture. “Pakistan's revisionist moves would throw the whole world into a brutal war,” he said.

The professor broke down in the middle of his intervention while speaking about the atrocities committed by Pakistan on the citizens of the POK. "Pakistan has taken our freedom. Pakistan placed their boot of tyranny on our throat, suppressing our voice but we hope our voice shall be heard here. We beg the peace-loving world to stop what's happening to us, break away the chains,” he cried.

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(With inputs from agency)

(Image credits: Twitter)