Pakistan has called for establishing an inquiry commission with the mandate to investigate the extent and adverse impact of the breaches of human rights and international humanitarian law in Lebanon. In a Special Session of Human Rights Council convened on the grave situation in Lebanon in Geneva, Permanent Representative of Pakistan Ambassador Masood Khan, while speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), called on the Council to condemn gross and systematic violations of human rights by Israel, a message received in Islamabad said. Khan also called for unhindered access to humanitarian and medical convoys and for the establishment of humanitarian corridors in Lebanon. “The international community should step up its efforts to help the Government and people of Lebanon to deal with the rehabilitation of victims, return of displaced persons, and restoration of the essential infrastructure”, the ambassador said. The session was convened pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly's resolution 60/251 which has mandated the Council to respond promptly to human rights emergency. Khan termed the situation in Lebanon as “appalling” with death and destruction stalking Lebanon with more than 1000 people killed, thousands injured and one million made homeless and displaced. He also drew the attention of the international community on destruction of critical civilian infrastructure like roads, bridges, ports, factories and power plants. Khan said the right to life, the most sacred of all rights, the right to food and adequate housing, and the rights of internally displaced people have been violated with impunity. The ambassador particularly mentioned violation of Article 38 of the Convention on the Right of the Child, Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, Articles 51 and 52 of the First Protocol of the Geneva Conventions. Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions clearly states that the civilian population as such, as well as individual civilians, shall not be the object of attack, he added. Referring to the justification of war offered by some countries the ambassador stated that the killings in Lebanon couldn't be embellished by the doctrines of just wars or disproportionate force or collective punishment. “War must end; Israeli military operations must end; and human rights violations must end.” Khan also referred to statements delivered by the OIC leaders, UN Secretary General, High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs condemning attacks on Lebanese civilian in particular children and women and destruction of infrastructure. The Special Session has been called following the decision taken by the Executive Committee of the OIC during its meeting in Putrajaya on August 3. Many countries supported the proposals made by Pakistan, enjoying strong cross regional support from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Senegal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and South Africa endorsed the OIC's principled stand. Several non-OlC countries - Russia, China, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Uruguay, South Africa, and Zambia - joined in supporting the OIC's stand.
