Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for international accountability over alleged use of torture against Kashmiris living under Indian rule and Palestinians in Gaza, condemning what he described as “state oppression by foreign occupying powers” on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Pakistan's Stance on Human Rights Violations
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Israel and India of committing serious human rights violations in Gaza and Indian-administered Kashmir, respectively, and has urged international investigations into these atrocities. Israel rejects allegations of systematic abuses and says its military operations in Gaza are aimed at dismantling Hamas, while India maintains its security measures are necessary to combat militancy in the part of the Himalayan territory under its control.
In his message on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Sharif framed this year’s commemoration around what he said was the use of torture by states to suppress political dissent, naming Gaza and Indian-administered Kashmir as the two territories where Pakistan says such abuses are most acute.
Quotes from PM Sharif
“The people of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) continue to endure state repression, brutal torture, and degrading and inhuman treatment at the hands of occupying authorities,” Sharif said. “The international community bears a collective responsibility to condemn such crimes and to ensure accountability of the perpetrators.”
Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and both claim the territory in full. Separatist groups have waged an insurgency against Indian rule since 1989, demanding Kashmir’s independence or its merger with Pakistan. Pakistan also does not recognize Israel and has consistently called for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and pre-1967 borders.
Evidence of Systematic Abuses
Sharif pointed to reports by international human rights organizations and UN mechanisms raising concerns over arbitrary detentions, custodial torture, enforced disappearances, collective punishment and restrictions on freedom of expression in Indian-administered Kashmir, which he said amounted to “compelling evidence of systematic human rights abuses and torture.”
In November 2025, UN human rights experts said they were alarmed by Indian authorities’ detention of around 2,800 people, including journalists and rights defenders, following a deadly militant attack in Pahalgam earlier that year. They cited reports of arbitrary arrests, deaths in custody, and torture among Kashmiri and Muslim communities, while also condemning the attack itself and extending condolences to its victims.
Call for International Action
Sharif called on the United Nations and international rights bodies “to ensure accountability for perpetrators of such human rights violations and to promote effective and meaningful international cooperation for the protection of victims of torture.” He reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering solidarity” with victims of torture in the region, saying Islamabad would continue to extend “political, diplomatic, and moral support” for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
