The veteran human rights activist and the deputy convener of JK National Front Altaf Hussain Wani has said that people under foreign and colonial occupation continue to suffer from the menace of extreme poverty.Taking part in a discourse on elimination of extreme poverty on the sidelines of the UNHRC session here on Thursday Wani said, "People under foreign occupation have not only been deprived of their political rights but also social, cultural and economic rights".This colonial mindset he said has been a stumbling block in the way of eliminating poverty. While realizing moral obligations vis-à-vis tackling the issue of growing poverty he noted that coordinated efforts were required to promote realization of all human rights in accordance with the universally accepted principle of justice and equality.Referring to the unresolved dispute of Kashmir Wani said, "Indian occupied Kashmir is one of the regions, where Indian state has failed to respect its international obligations to frame policies to eliminate poverty".
Rather than fulfilling its responsibilities under the UNCIP resolutions he said that India under the grab of providing humanitarian assistance to homeless Indians has planned to construct the structures to grab the land of state subjects and render them landless.He pointed out that despite constitutional guarantee state-subject hood, land grab remains India's state policy in the UN disputed territory of Kashmir. Giving the details he told the world audience that on one hand occupation forces have already occupied 1000,000 of acres of agriculture land while on the other government of India was planning to construct colonies for retired Indian army persons, homeless Indians in Kashmir valley."These acts on one hand deprived state-subjects of the land causing food securities while on the other hand these are aimed at changing demography complexion of Muslim majority state", he said adding thatTerming it as flagrant violation of United Nation Resolution on Kashmir calling for free and fair plebiscite for the realization of right to self- determination he said that International Islamic Federation of Student organization (IIFSO) would like to draw the attention of special rapporteur on the pathetic life conditions of people living under occupation in occupied Kashmir and aggressive policies of government of India to change the demography of state. (KNS)