Islamabad, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) group, led by Convenor Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, has publicly condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Jammu in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The visit is being criticized as a strategic maneuver to mislead both the Indian electorate and the international community about the real situation in the contested region ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Saghar lambasted Modi’s trip as an attempt to paint a misleading picture of peace and normalcy in a territory that has been the center of prolonged conflict and unrest. He accused the Indian Prime Minister of exploiting the visit for political gains, specifically targeting votes while glossing over the grim realities faced by the inhabitants of the region.
Saghar linked Modi with the divisive Hindutva ideology, recalling the Prime Minister’s controversial involvement in the Gujarat riots, which saw widespread violence against Muslims, and criticized his policies in occupied Kashmir. Particularly, he pointed out the abrogation of Article 370 as a significant violation of international laws, which has exacerbated the marginalization of the Muslim-majority population in Jammu and Kashmir.
The APHC-AJK convenor called for the Kashmir issue to be recognized and addressed as both a political and humanitarian crisis. He argued that genuine peace in South Asia hinges on the fulfillment of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, a principle long advocated by the Kashmiri movement for independence and autonomy.
Furthermore, Saghar appealed to the Indian government to permit United Nations observers and international human rights organizations to visit and assess the situation in Jammu and Kashmir firsthand. This, he believes, would help reveal the true extent of the challenges faced by the people living under Indian administration and highlight the need for an immediate and just resolution to the conflict.
This statement from the APHC-AJK underscores the continuing tensions in Kashmir and the significant international attention required to address the longstanding dispute and ensure the rights and welfare of its people.