UNHCR approached: Petition drags Pakistan into Kargil ‘war crime’

Petition alleges captain, five jawans subjected to torture, killed.

NEW DELHI:

An independent Indian MP has filed a petition in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against war crimes and torture allegedly inflicted by the Pakistan government on Capt Saurabh Kalia and five other soldiers during the Kargil war in 1999.

The petition, filed on December 7, 2012, urged the UNHRC to “ensure a full and independent investigation is opened immediately, justice is achieved and also to conduct enquiries into this matter and take appropriate steps to urge the Government of Pakistan to conduct an enquiry into the matter and ascertain those responsible for the torture and death of Captain Saurabh”.



Member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who runs an NGO called Flags of Honour Foundation, said, “I am supporting this petition to UNHRC filed by Flags of Honour Foundation and Dr NK Kalia, Saurabh’s father, to seek justice for the family of Capt Saurabh.”

On May 15, 1999, Capt Saurabh Kalia, along with five jawans were on routine patrol of the Bajrang Post in the Kaksar sector when they were fired upon by the Pakistan Army and consequently captured alive. They were subjected to torture (as evident from their bodies and post mortem report) in captivity and killed. The Pakistan government returned their bodies on June 9, 1999.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2012.