‘Neither security nor justice will be achieved with the senseless loss of more civilian lives’ - Carolyn Horn

Responding to the escalating armed engagement between India and Pakistan, Carolyn Horn, Amnesty International’s Programme Director for Law and Policy, said:

“The escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan has already taken a toll on civilians. Amnesty is concerned by reports of the loss of civilian lives in both India and Pakistan.

“In every armed conflict, protecting civilians is paramount - it’s a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law which binds all nations.

“Deliberate, indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks harming civilians or damaging civilian infrastructure such as homes, hospitals, schools, and essential services, are strictly prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols and under customary international law.

“Amnesty calls on the Governments of India and Pakistan to uphold their obligations under both international human rights and humanitarian law. They must take all necessary measures to protect civilians and minimise any suffering and casualties in both countries.

“As forces from both countries are now engaged in open hostilities, Amnesty insists that neither security nor justice will be achieved with the senseless loss of more civilian lives.

“We extend our condolences to the families on both sides of the border who have lost their loved ones and borne the devastating cost of the current escalation in what has been a long-standing conflict.

“We unequivocally condemn the deliberate targeting and unlawful killing of civilians by armed groups during the horrific attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on 22 April and call for an independent, transparent and thorough investigation to bring the suspected perpetrators of the atrocity to account through fair trials, without recourse to the death penalty.”

 Attacks

India conducted several airstrikes in Pakistan and in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday 7 May. Pakistan officials claim that 31 people have been killed and 57 injured by the air strikes, including children, women and families, and claims one civilian was killed by drone-related attacks on 8 May. India's army claims that at least 15 civilians were killed and more than 40 injured by Pakistani shelling on its side of the line of control since the airstrikes.