India asks Pakistan to end illegal occupation of PoK

Geneva [Switzerland], November 13 (ANI): India on Monday appealed to the Government of Pakistan at its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the United Nations "to provide freedom to people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) by ending its illegal and forceful occupation and to stop torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killing."

India, in a statement, also requested the neighbouring country " to end forced conversions and marriages of minorities, including Hindu, Sikh and Christian women, and prosecute all cases."

Pakistan was also recommended "to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens" and "take verifiable actions, including on terror funding."

The UPR was introduced by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006 which involves the assessment of human rights records of each member country in Geneva.

Some of the other recommendations that India penned down for Pakistan included ending harassment of minorities, preventing misuse of blasphemy law, stopping targeting political dissidents, stopping awarding death penalty to juveniles and execution of persons with disabilities.

New Delhi also recommended Islamabad to fulfill international obligations under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Vienna Convention on Consular Relation (VCCR) and stop attacks on Muslim minorities.

India also recommended reviewing the educational curriculum to remove extreme prejudices, religious intolerance and historical distortions.

According to the reports, in 2008, Pakistan received 51 recommendations, of which it accepted 43 and rejected eight.

At its second UPR in 2012, Pakistan received 167 recommendations, out of which it accepted 126, 'noted' 34 and rejected seven. (ANI)