United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) president, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, has urged the United Nations to take note of the violations which are taking place in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan.

At the 54th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Kashmiri said Pakistan has imposed an “alien culture” on PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan, reports ANI.

He said it has deprived the locals in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan of their history, natural resources, traditions, customs, language and culture and termed Islamabad’s actions serious violations of various international laws.

Speaking at the General debate under agenda Item:3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, he said, “I on behalf of our organisation request the United Nations to take note of these violations taking place in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan and ask Pakistan to uphold and guarantee all our fundamental human rights, encompassing civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, including the right to development.”

“Our organisation has been constantly advocating to draw the attention of this august council that the state parties under various international conventions and instruments are obliged to ensure Civil, Political, Economic Social and Cultural Right, including Right to Development under their administration and in peripheries which aren’t constitutional part of such countries,” Kashmiri said.

“However, the people of Pakistani Administered Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have been completely marginalised. Islamabad has imposed an alien culture on both peripheries. Depriving locals of their history, natural resources, traditions, customs, language and culture through its institution’s and instrument of educational curriculum, are serious violations of various international laws,” he added.