ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday briefed the top five members of the United Nations over the brutalities in the Indian-held Kashmir carried out by the occupant forces.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry held a meeting with ambassadors of the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council - China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the US - over the tense situation in Held Kashmir and expressed Pakistan’s serious concern over the brutal killings of civilians and violation of their other fundamental human rights, the foreign ministry said.

Kashmir has been wracked with three days of violent protests, which erupted after the killing of a young freedom fighter, Burhan Wani, by security forces.

More than 30 innocent people had lost their lives and more than 350 had been injured so far in the unrest which has shuttered much of the region since Saturday. A curfew remains in place across much of the region.

The foreign ministry in a statement said the foreign secretary informed the ambassadors that due to the excessive use of force against civilians protesting the killing of Burhan Wani. He emphasised India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against the individuals responsible for killing the innocent protesters.

He urged the international community and particularly the UNSC permanent members to take notice of the gravity of the situation, and call on India to respect human rights of Kashmiris and implement Security Council resolutions.

Chaudhry rejected Indian attempts to claim that the deteriorating human rights situation in Kashmir was an internal affair of India and emphasised the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir awaiting the implementation of the UNSC resolutions.

STRUGGLE FOR RIGHTS, NOT TERRORISM

The foreign secretary said killings of innocent Kashmiri people could not be condoned under the pretext of terrorism. He observed the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination cannot be equated with terrorism.

Chaudhry emphasized such inhumane and oppressive measures cannot deter the valiant people of Jammu and Kashmir from their demand of exercising their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

Senior analyst Dr Rasool Baksh Raees said India should fulfil its commitment to hold plebiscite in Kashmir to ascertain the will of the people.

“Pakistan should highlight the Kashmir dispute on all international forums. It is the responsibility of everyone including media and journalist to highlight this core issue,” he said. The silence of international community on violations in Kashmir, he said, was beyond understanding.

Former ambassador Fauzia Nasreen said Indian forces had been involved in killing innocent and unarmed Kashmiris.

“The Kashmir dispute could be resolved politically only. War and violation of human rights is no solution,” she said. The only solution, she said, was giving the people the right of self-determination.

“Unfortunately, the solution of Kashmir dispute is not the priority of international community. The UN should play a lead role to resolve this issue,” she added.

Officials said, on instructions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif it had been decided to call a conference by end of July of all Pakistani ambassadors appointed across the world to discuss the latest issues and the overall foreign policy of the country.

The meeting will take into account the recent developments including arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadhav, recent tensions with Afghanistan including the border issue and the Kashmir policy.

Officials said preparations for the conference had already begun under supervision of Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi. Before the conference will conclude, ambassadors would be assigned dedicated tasks regarding the foreign policy, an official said.

MODI’S CALL FOR CALM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for calm in Kashmir after a high-level meeting convened on his return from Africa in New Delhi on Tuesday, Voice of America reported.

Minister of State in PM’s office Jitendra Singh said Modi expressed concern about the situation and appealed to the people to help normalise the situation. He said the PM promised to assist the state government in calming the tensions. He said the PM also hopes innocent people would not be harmed or inconvenienced in any way.

MIRWAIZ’ WARNING

Prominent Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the “sending of more troops, which the government has decided, and giving them more powers will add fuel to the fire as it will be greatly resisted by the people.”

Kashmiri leaders have called for a general strike through Wednesday.

RUSH AT SRINAGAR HOSPITAL

The main hospital in Srinagar struggled to treat hundreds of patients wounded in four days of clashes Tuesday, as medics warned that many could lose their eyesight from shotgun injuries.

As the overall death toll from the violence rose to 32, ambulances continued to deliver more victims to Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) where patients were sometimes forced to share beds, an AFP report said.

An administrator said staff had been ordered not to speak to the press but wards were crammed with young boys and men, many of whom had suffered serious eye injuries caused by the firing of pellets by Indian troops.

An AFP correspondent who toured the teeming wards saw two patients to a bed, as doctors worked non-stop.

ONE-EYED BOYS

“Doctors are working in operation theatres round-the-clock. We’ve operated on 90 for serious eye injuries since Saturday morning,” said a doctor in SMHS where many volunteers were helping to tend to the injured.

“Most of them have lost their eyesight in one eye. They are going to walk out of the hospital as one-eyed boys,” the doctor added.

One of the youngsters told AFP he had been injured when paramilitary troops opened fire towards him and a group of his friends with pellet guns as they walked out of a mosque in Srinagar on Friday evening.

“I can’t see anything right now,” the boy said, declining to give his name as he wiped away tears that were dripping out of the sides of his bandaged eyes.

A senior state administrator said at least 1,000 people have been injured in the clashes in Kashmir.

While there were fresh clashes Tuesday, the violence was on a much smaller scale than previously. Two people died in hospital from injuries they had sustained earlier, raising the toll to 32.