Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has declared a complete shutdown in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Thursday, coinciding with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The shutdown aims to signal a strong protest against Modi’s presence and to voice opposition against India’s policies in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the shutdown call was made by Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, an APHC spokesperson, who articulated that the action is a response to India’s anti-Kashmir agendas and a demand for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute for regional peace. The strike intends to protest India’s illegal occupation, the push of Hindutva agendas in Kashmir, and to demand the resolution of the Kashmir conflict.
The APHC’s call underscores opposition to atrocities, illegal detentions, the stripping of political rights including the annulment of Article 370 and 35A, the dismissal of Kashmiri government employees, and property seizures. The spokesperson emphasized the importance of the strike’s success and called for widespread participation from the people of the territory.
Furthermore, the APHC criticized Modi’s visit as an attempt to deceive the international community about the ground realities in IIOJK, highlighting the intensified oppression under the BJP government. The APHC also appealed to the international community for urgent intervention to resolve the Kashmir dispute, warning of its threat to peace and stability in South Asia and the continued suffering of the Jammu and Kashmir populace.
In support of the shutdown, posters have appeared in Srinagar and other areas depicting Modi as responsible for violence against Muslims and accusing him of leading a genocidal campaign to eradicate the Muslim identity of Jammu and Kashmir.