Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has declared that the ongoing assembly elections in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir do not fulfill the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. This statement came amid heightened tensions and a significant military presence in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, a spokesperson for the Srinagar-based APHC, stated in an interview that the elections are not a genuine solution to the Kashmir dispute. He reiterated the demand for a resolution in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions and emphasized that the international community recognizes Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory whose political future remains undetermined.
Minhas criticized the Indian government’s deployment of over one million troops in the territory, claiming that such elections under heavy military surveillance are insignificant. He accused the Modi government of transforming the area into a military garrison, revoking its special status, and violating the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people.
The spokesperson condemned efforts by the BJP-RSS alliance to change the demographic composition of Jammu and Kashmir and discredit the freedom movement. He warned the Kashmiri populace against Indian agents purportedly attempting to sow discord and undermine the freedom struggle.
Minhas called for vigilance among Kashmiris against these maneuvers and affirmed the continued commitment to the self-determination struggle. He appealed to the international community to intervene against the ongoing illegalities and support the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
Meanwhile, APHC leader Farida Behanji has called on the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, to recognize the illegitimacy of the elections and to push for the implementation of UN resolutions granting Kashmiris their right to self-determination.