'Let's Talk Human Rights In Balochistan': India To Pakistan At UN Panel
As Pakistan brought up Kashmir, India today responded with Balochistan and PoK at the UN Human Rights Council. India said, "Pakistan is characterised by authoritarianism, absence of democratic norms and widespread human rights violations across the country including Balochistan" and "It will be in the fitness of things if instead of ritually raking up alleged human rights violations elsewhere, Pakistan were to focus its energies on improving human rights situation within Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir". On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: how far is government going to take this? Does this mean that it is an official policy that every time Pakistan says Kashmir, we say Balochistan? Back home, Supreme Court today rejected a PIL to stop funding of separatists saying grant of funds to Jammu and Kashmir for purposes of security or otherwise is within the domain of Central Government. While Minister of State PMO Jitendra Singh defends security given to separatists saying they face threat from Pakistan, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar says facilities to separatists must be withdrawn. We ask: is Delhi confused on whether to engage or isolate separatists?
