New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed shock at the “excessive force used on unarmed civilians” by the security forces in Kashmir and said that India must respect its “human rights obligations”.

Sharif also expressed dismay at the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani and asked India to respect human rights and hold plebiscite in Kashmir.

“Unarmed Kashmiris cannot be deterred from their struggle for self-determination,” ANI quoted Sharif as saying.

“Deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against civilians protesting against the killing of Burhan Wani,” Sharif said.

The Pakistan prime minister also called on the Indian government to fulfil “human rights obligations” under the UNSC resolutions.

He expressed “serious concern over the continued detention of the Kashmiri leadership”.

Meanwhile, the toll in Kashmir unrest rose to 23 on Monday even as the Centre has sent additional forces to the Valley as reinforcement.

The Centre has promised all necessary assistance to the state government.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has been personally monitoring the situation and has directed officials to ensure that paramilitary forces in Kashmir provide all assistance to the state government for restoration of peace.

Singh has also spoken to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to brief them about the situation.