Kashmir
Protestors in Kashmir hurl stones and pellets at authorities during the unrest.

SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — As the unrest in Kashmir is now approaching the 70-day mark, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said that an international probe was “needed crucially” in the state in northern India.

India has responded to the comments, calling the violence “choreographed from across the border.”

Indian officials also called into question the reference to areas which they co-administer with Pakistan, stating that the entire Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

At the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council, Hussein said he had requested India and Pakistan to allow teams from his office to visit both sides of the Line of Control – “in other words the India-Administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-Administered Kashmir.”

Hussein added that he’s received reports of “excessive” force used against civilians on the Indian side and also of “conflicting narratives from the two sides” about the unrest, that has seen over 80 deaths so far.

“I believe an independent, impartial and international mission is now needed crucially and that it should be given free and complete access to establish an objective assessment of the claims made by the two sides,” he said, adding that while Pakistan have formally granted his request to visit their side, India have yet to respond to his request to merge the trip with both nations.

“More would be gained if primacy were accorded to cooperation over confrontation,” India said in its response.

Additionally, India sharply rebutted the UN Human Rights chief’s reference to India and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It said the whole State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and “Pakistan remains in illegal occupation of a part of our territory. The two cannot and should not be equated.”

“The neutrality of the phrase ‘Indian Administered Kashmir’ is, therefore, artificial,” it said.

The unrest “has been choreographed from across our border since the death of a known terrorist belonging to an internationally proscribed terrorist organization,” India’s statement added. “High Commissioner’s proposed Change Initiative requires more clarity,” India’s statement also read.