Islamabad, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter, in a dedicated seminar on International Women’s Day, emphasized the critical role and sacrifices of Kashmiri women in the region’s protracted struggle for freedom, while denouncing the egregious human rights violations they endure in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, the event in Islamabad, presided over by Mahmood Ahmed Saghar and attended by notable figures including former Deputy Speaker of AJK Legislative Assembly Meher-un-Nisa, showcased the resilience and courage of Kashmiri women against the backdrop of severe oppression. The speakers delineated several instances of abuse and violence perpetrated by Indian forces, referencing the notorious cases of Kunanposhpora, Shopian, and the tragic assault and murder of young Asifa Banu in Kathua, to illustrate the systemic employment of sexual violence as a weapon against the Kashmiri populace.
The discussion also highlighted the sorrow of countless women who have been widowed or left without information on their forcibly disappeared spouses, a grim reality persisting since 1989. Furthermore, the assembly shed light on the brutal use of pellet guns by Indian troops, which has resulted in significant injuries and blindness among women and girls in the region.
The plight of female Hurriyat leaders and activists, including Aasiya Andrabi, Naheeda Nasreen, and Fehmeeda Sofi, who are currently imprisoned in IIOJK and India, was also addressed, calling international attention to their conditions and the broader suppression of women’s voices and rights in the conflict.
The APHC-AJK used the occasion to urge the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the global community to exert pressure on India to respect Kashmiri aspirations and facilitate their right to self-determination. The event underlined the indispensable role of women in the Kashmiri resistance and their profound sufferings, reinforcing the call for international advocacy and intervention to address these injustices.