Pakistan has called upon the Indian government to refrain from victimising the “true representatives” of the Kashmiri people by way of apparent illegal detentions and implications in “baseless cases”.

“The serial violator of human rights would be well advised to introspect its inhumane siege of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said while addressing the weekly press conference here on Friday.

It also advised the Indian government to review its “total failure to smother the flame of freedom and self-determination from the hearts of the Kashmiris” despite employing tactics and indiscriminate use of illegitimate force for the past 75 years.

“India’s futile attempts to obfuscate cold facts by making controversial, irresponsible, and untenable assertions stand fully exposed – it could mislead the world,” he added.

He said Pakistan remained deeply concerned over the deteriorating health of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik. “He [Malik] continues to suffer for his legitimate political resistance to India’s illegal occupation of IIOJK. We reject this judicial persecution and demand his immediate release.”

He claimed that the inhuman incarceration of Malik and the malfeasant attempts at tarnishing the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris for their right to self-determination only further confirm India’s known credentials as a serial violator of human rights and usurper of fundamental freedoms of the Kashmiri people.

Pakistan urged the international community to take cognisance of India’s illegal detention and treatment of Yasin Malik and of other political leaders and to ensure that the Kashmiri people could exercise their right to self-determination as promised to them by the UN and the international community.

“More than 1.5 billion people of this region deserve to see the dawn of peace and prosperity - something that has been held hostage to India’s hostile agenda, hegemonistic designs and systematic violations of human rights in IIOJK,” he added.

He said: “As we prepare to solemnly commemorate Youm-e-Istehsaal on August 5, marking three years of India’s unilateral and illegal actions in IIOJK and unabated human rights violations, we salute the indomitable spirit of the people of IIOJK. We honour their immense sacrifices. And we reaffirm our resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Kashmiri brothers and sisters and extend unrelenting, all possible support until they realize their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.”

Pakistan also categorically rejected remarks made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson in an effort to politicise the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Attempts to cast aspersions over the corridor project showed India’s apparent insecurity as well as the pursuit of a hegemonic agenda, he added.

“It is in fact India that is illegally occupying the state of Jammu and Kashmir for over seven decades while perpetrating gross and widespread human rights violations and effectuating blatant territorial and demographic changes in the occupied territory in complete contravention of international law and relevant UNSC resolutions.”