ISLAMABAD: The international community remains deeply concerned over minorities` oppression in India causing dozens of killings of Muslims and people belonging to other communities by extremist groups, says the Foreign Of fice.

FO spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, at his weekly press briefing on Thursday, said that oppression of non-Hindus in India was on the rise for the past few years.

People belonging to minority communities including Muslims, Christians and Dalits have been lynched for trading, consuming or even transpordng beef by the proponents of Hindutva.

He said India had resorted to harassing relatives of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference leadersandmeting outinhuman treatment to the Kashmiri leaders to deter the indigenous movement for selfdetermination in India-held Kashmir spearheaded by the Kashmiri youth.

`We have been sensitising the international community as well as the United Nations and other relevant quarters on the grave human rights situation in IoK (Indianoccupied Kashmir) and unending bloodshed of Kashmiris by Indian occupation forces,` he added.

The spokesman said that since July 8, 2016 alone, hundreds of Kashmiris had been mercilessly killed; over 8,000 were victims of pellet guns with hundreds of youths blinded either com-pletely or partially; 19,000 had been wounded, many with life-threatening injuries; over 18,000 arrested with their fate remaining unknown and aroundathousandcasesof molestation ofKashmiriwomenhadbeenreported.

Terming the allegations of Afghan media regarding training of Afghan children (in terrorist activities) in Pakistani seminaries a baseless propaganda, he said Pakistan had educated 50,000 Afghan children so far in its schools along with local children.

Replying to a question, Mr Zakariasaid Pakistan was always ready to alleviate the suffering of its Kashmiri brothers whether caused by a natural catastrophe or a man-made disaster.

He also talked about two kidnapped Pakistani diplomatic staff members, who have been safely recovered by Afghan authorities, apparently in an operation conducted by security forces.

`We have conveyed our thanks (to Kabul) on behalf of the government and the families of the two officials, he added.-APP