Pakistan condoles killing of 12-year-old Kashmiri boy in Indian Occupied Kashmir protests

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday expressed its condolences over the killing of 12-year-old Junaid Ahmad during a violent protest in India-held Kashmir (IHK) last week.

The boy was critically injured on Friday evening after he was hit by shotgun pellets all over his body and died at a hospital early Saturday.

Residents said the young student was hit inside his home compound in Srinagar, some 30 feet from clashes between protesters and government forces. Police say he was part of the clashes.

The Foreign Office (FO) in a statement issued on Sunday said that the government and the people of Pakistan extend their deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the slain 12-year-old.

"The cold-blooded murder of Junaid Ahmad is worst example of state terrorism of the Indian government and is indeed deplorable," the FO said.

The grave situation of human rights violations in IHK, growing atrocities and genocide of Kashmiris should be a matter of concern to the international community and the United Nations, the FO said, adding that the situation warrants an immediate intervention to stop bloodshed being committed by India.

The FO claimed that over 115 Kashmiris had been killed in an outbreak of violence since the murder of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July, and over 15,000 had been injured with scores in critical condition and several hundred others blinded due to the use of pellet guns by Indian forces.

"A humanitarian crisis, created by the Indian occupation forces through shortage of food, medicines, water and other basic amenities, has added to the Kashmiris' plight and the casualties," the FO said, calling for an end to the "culture of impunity by the occupation forces in IOK".

"There should be a fair, independent and transparent inquiry into the grave human rights violations of the innocent Kashmiri people. We urge the international community to play its role for ending the bloodshed in the IOK," the FO said.

"The people of IOK are demanding their fundamental human rights, especially the right to self-determination, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions."