In Geneva, Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Islamic countries, has emphasized the necessity of investigating Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian population in Gaza and the West Bank to ensure accountability.
Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, the permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN offices in Geneva, emphasized during the Human Rights Council’s general debate on Tuesday the urgency of investigating violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law, including war crimes against Palestinians. He stressed the need for accountability in this regard.
Additionally, the Pakistani envoy, speaking for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir. The OIC statement urged India to comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and implement recommendations from reports by the UN human rights office.
Ambassador Ahmad strongly condemned all crimes committed by the Israeli Occupation Forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and urged the implementation of provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He reiterated the call for upholding human rights and international humanitarian law in the OPT, including in East Jerusalem, and urged the reversal of measures aimed at institutionalizing illegal occupation and colonial settlement enterprise.
Furthermore, the OIC urged the Council to work towards justice and accountability for the Rohingya people, supporting their safe and voluntary return to Myanmar. The statement also condemned damage and property loss inflicted by Armenia in territories of Azerbaijan and expressed support for the Azerbaijani government and people.
Lastly, Ambassador Ahmad condemned acts of religious hatred, particularly desecration of the Holy Quran, and stressed the need for legal measures by states to address this issue.
