Pakistan lamented to the international community for, what it called, the “ politically driven double standards” when it came to holding India responsible for human rights violations in Kashmir. 

Speaking at the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Pakistan’s Minister of Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari drew the attention of the international community toward, what she called, the “full-blown human rights crisis” in "Indian controlled Kashmir region". 

“Eight million Kashmiris have been caged up in one of the world’s largest concentration camps. Using draconian laws, Indian forces have intensified the systematic use of summary executions, torture, and rape as a weapon,” Dawn reported her charging at the session. 

She also highlighted the issue of growing Islamophobia, saying some of the states are promoting dehumanization of oppressed people on the “pretext of freedom of expression and secularism.” It was a veiled reference to France which recently has passed a bill strengthening the foundational values of the republic. 

Pakistan claimed some of the standard-bearers of human rights show a hypocritical attitude on human rights and prioritize their “political, strategic and commercial interests.” 

Ironically, Pakistan— a vocal critic of growing Islamophobia in western countries — maintains a deafening silence when it comes to China’s mistreatment of its Uighurs, an ethnic Muslim minority mostly living in the north-western province of Xinjiang in China.    

“Appeasement or inaction are no options. Doing so will only embolden the abuser,” Mazari was quoted as saying by Dawn. “Let us not repeat mistakes of the past but rather demonstrate the courage to stand firmly on the right side of the history,” she added, calling for actions from the international community on India.