Islamabad, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter has voiced strong solidarity with the victims of the Kunan-Poshpora tragedy, demanding that the United Nations address the egregious human rights violations perpetrated by Indian troops in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a seminar convened by the APHC-AJK in Islamabad, led by Convener Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, became a platform for condemning the Indian government and judiciary’s failure to hold accountable the troops responsible for the mass rape incident of February 23, 1991. The gathering emphasized that the dark day continues to haunt the collective memory of the Kashmiri people, with justice still out of reach for the victims even after 33 years.
Speakers at the seminar highlighted the initial findings of impartial investigations that had identified the culpability of Indian forces in the atrocity, only for those findings to be later obscured by the Indian government, absolving the perpetrators. They stressed the resilience of Kashmiri women, noting their significant role in the freedom movement and asserting that the use of rape as a weapon of war has failed to suppress the Kashmiri spirit for self-determination.
The event also paid tribute to the sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs, urging the international community to recognize Indian state terrorism and advocate for a resolution to the Kashmir dispute that aligns with the aspirations of its people.
Prominent figures including Muhammad Farooq Rahmani, Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, and others contributed to the discussions, reiterating the call for an impartial judicial investigation and trial for the crimes committed by Indian forces in Kashmir over the past three decades.
Separately, senior APHC-AJK leader Muhammad Farooq Rehmani underscored the Kunan-Poshpora mass rape as an indelible crime against humanity, insisting on the necessity of legal accountability for the perpetrators. Mehnaz Quraishi, head of the women’s wing of Pasban-e-Hurriyat, also condemned the sexual violence employed by Indian forces as a tactic against the Kashmiri population, highlighting the enduring impact of the Kunan-Poshpora incident on perceptions of Indian democracy and secularism.
The concerted message from the APHC-AJK and its affiliates is clear: the international community must take decisive action to address the human rights abuses in Kashmir and support the region’s right to self-determination.