SRINAGAR , APRIL ,24 :
Forum for Human Rights in Jammu & Kashmir unequivocally condemn the heinous communal attack by militants on tourists and locals in Baisaran valley, Pahalgam in a
Press Statement issued here reads That the members of the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir unequivocally condemn the heinous communal attack by militants on tourists and locals in Baisaran valley, Pahalgam. This reprehensible act of terrorism has caused the grievous loss of at least 28 lives and left many more in a critical condition. The Forum expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a full recovery to those injured. It also stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir who observed a day-long shutdown in solidarity with the victims of the attack. The Forum reaffirms that terrorism in all its manifestations constitutes a serious threat to the welfare of citizens in Jammu & Kashmir and the rest of the country. According to sources reported in the media, The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-eTaiba, has claimed responsibility for the dastardly communal attack. We expect the Pakistan government to conduct an enquiry, arrest functionaries of the organization and make them available to Indian investigators for interrogation and, if their culpability is established, prosecution. The Forum also urges our Prime Minister and Home Minister to consult with the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, along with members of the elected administration and the legislature, to jointly devise a counter-terrorism strategy that will adhere to humanitarian guidelines and safeguard the rights of civilians. Signed, Co-chairs: Gopal Pillai, former Home Secretary, Government of India Radha Kumar, former member, Group of Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir Members: Justice (retd.) Madan B. Lokur, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India Justice (retd.) Anjana Prakash, former Judge of the Patna High Court Nirupama Rao, former Foreign Secretary, Government of India Shantha Sinha, former chairperson, National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights Major-General Ashok Mehta (retd.) Air Vice-Marshal Kapil Kak (retd.) Colonel Yoginder Kandhari (retd.) Enakshi Ganguly, Co-founder and former Co-director, HAQ Centre for Child Rights Anand Sahay, columnist Shivani Sanghavi, lawyer and activist, human rights in conflict Abhishek Babbar, Advocate, Supreme Court of India