UN declines comment on Amnesty Report over Kashmir

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has declined comment over an Amnesty International report that blames India of not taking action against troops accused of atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir state.

Asked on Thursday at the daily briefing at the UN headquarters for a reaction to the report issued on Wednesday, Ban’s deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq refused to comment on it.

The report based on 58 case studies of alleged excesses by the armed forces in the state has called for a repeal of AFSPA and wanted India to invite the UN Special Rapporteur as well as the UN Joint Working group on disappearances to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

The group also asked for “unimpeded access” to victims and witnesses for UN officials inquiring into disappearances and human rights violations. (IANS)