Geneva, (Parliament Times) : A special event organized by the International Association for Peace and Sustainable Development (IASPD) and the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) on the occasion of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) brought together international experts, environmental activists, and human rights representatives to highlight the challenges facing environmental rights in conflict-affected regions like Kashmir.
The event was presided over by Sardar Amjad Yousaf Khan, President of IASPD and Executive Director of KIIR, who in his opening remarks highlighted the importance of the historic United Nations resolution, which recognizes “a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right.”
Sardar Amjad Yousaf Khan said, “A healthy environment is essential for the realization of other human rights, but environmental rights are most affected in war-torn regions. Environmental degradation has become a serious problem in a sensitive region like Kashmir, where large-scale military deployment, use of heavy weapons, and wanton destruction of environmental resources are giving rise to problems like melting glaciers, deforestation, and water scarcity.”
He added that the international community should take notice of the violations of environmental rights in Kashmir, as “the environmental crisis in Kashmir is becoming a serious humanitarian problem.” He stressed that international organizations, including the United Nations, should take strict action against human rights violations as well as environmental crimes.
Human rights activists from the United States, including Mary Scully, Raja Asim Zeb, Altaf Hussain Wani, Talha Bhatti, and Kentin, among others, also addressed the event and highlighted the responsibilities of the international community regarding environmental protection. The panelists said that environmental destruction in war-torn areas is not limited to the destruction of natural resources, but also affects the basic human rights of millions of citizens, especially the right to clean water and a healthy environment.
