Islamabad: Leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter have articulated that the ongoing struggle of the people in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir transcends the issue of restoring Article 370, which India revoked on August 5, 2019.

According to Kashmir Media Service, in a comprehensive statement released in Islamabad, APHC-AJK leaders including Sheikh Abdul Majid, Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoob, and others, emphasized that the Kashmiris’ fight is not confined to the reinstatement of constitutional provisions such as Article 370 and 35A. They expressed that the refusal by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah to restore these articles is inconsequential to the Kashmiris’ broader aspirations for full independence from Indian rule.

The leaders criticized the abrogation of these articles as part of a broader strategy by the BJP to undermine the political, social, economic, and religious rights of the Kashmiri people and to cement India’s control over the region. They argued that despite the oppressive tactics of Indian forces, the Kashmiri resolve for a plebiscite and ultimate independence remains unyielding.

The statement also called on the international community to support the Kashmiri pursuit of justice, peace, and freedom, and to pressure India to end its unauthorized hold over Kashmir.