MIRPUR (AJK)-A high profile Kashmiri delegation called on Michel Frost, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, at Geneva on the sideline of 37th session of United Nations Human Rights Council at.
Led by Sardar Amjad Yousf Executive Director Kashmir Institute of International Relations, the delegation apprised him of the increased human rights abuses in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
The Kashmiri delegation briefed the Special Rapporteur about the situation of human rights defenders in occupied Jammu and Kashmir where these defenders especially the journalists and lawyers are harassed, intimidated, and detained by Indian Occupational forces.
The delegation also discussed the denial of travel documents to political leaders and human rights defenders. The suspension of internet services and media gagging were also discussed at length. It was brought into the notice of special Rapporteur that the government of India in 2017, under the colonial British law Indian Telegraphic Act, 1885 suspended internet service 42 times in Indian occupied Kashmir thereby deprived the people of their right to freedom of speech and expression.
The Kashmiri delegation praised the special rapporteur for his concerns on the situation of human rights defenders around the globe especially in Indian Occupied Kashmir and serious concerns were shown on the continuous detention of Kamran Yousf, a photojournalist who is languishing in Tihar Jail for a couple of months.
The delegation head later told this Correspondent over telephone from Geneva on Wednesday that the Kashmiri delegation also brought the attention of special rapporteur towards the fake encounter by the Indian occupational forces in Shopian where six innocent Kashmiris lost their lives, arrest of noted human rights defender Parvez Imroz who was arrested by the occupational forces for promoting the systematic human rights violation.
Other members of the Kashmiri delegation include Hassan Banna, Advocate Parvez Ahmad Shah, Shamim Shawl, all members of APHC, and Professor Shugfta Ashraf.

AJK lauds NEC’s empowering development forums

MIRPUR (AJK)-The AJK government lauded the National Economic Council (NEC)’s decision to approve the enhancement of powers of the development forums of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and FATA.
The limit for Development Working Party (DWP) of the three regions has been increased to Rs400 million while the Development Committees (DC) would be authorised to sanction the development expenditure up to Rs1 billion, official sources said.
AJ&K Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan attended the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday, it said. On the proposal of the AJK Premier, the NEC meeting approved the enhancement, which, according to the statement, was the first time since 2008 through the previous governments tried their level best to get the achievement. According to development experts, the development process would get more pace in AJK and the government will be in better position to approve mega projects in short time.
They gave credit to Raja Farooq Haider for resolving much awaited financial issues with the central government.