Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) has expressed grave concerns over the continuous state of siege experienced by Kashmiris due to the extensive deployment of Indian military forces in the region. The APHC’s remarks underscore the prolonged tensions and hardships faced by the residents of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) over the past seven decades.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, a spokesman for the APHC, issued a statement in Srinagar detailing the oppressive conditions under which the Kashmiri people live. With over one million Indian troops stationed throughout IIOJK, Minhas described the territory as a “living hell” for its inhabitants, characterized by daily instances of extrajudicial killings, massacres, violent cordon and search operations, nocturnal raids, arrests, and torture.
The APHC spokesman highlighted the severe human rights violations committed against the Kashmiris, who demand freedom from what they term as Indian illegal occupation. Minhas criticized the Indian government for not only depriving the Kashmiri people of their natural resources and basic freedoms but also for denying them their political rights, including the right to self-determination.
Furthermore, Minhas accused Indian forces of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity with impunity, enabled by draconian laws that grant them excessive powers. Despite the challenges, he affirmed the Kashmiri people’s resolve to continue their struggle against Indian occupation.
The APHC’s statement also addressed the international community, urging it to intervene to halt the Indian government’s repression in IIOJK and to support the Kashmiris’ demand for self-determination in line with relevant UN resolutions. Minhas argued that peace and stability in the region, as well as the improvement of Pakistan-India relations, hinge on the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
In a related development, the Jammu Kashmir Student Youth Forum has launched a poster campaign across Kashmir, asserting the territory’s Islamic character and rejecting any takeover by followers of Hindutva philosophy. This campaign reflects the broader resistance against Indian policies perceived as attempts to alter the region’s demographic and cultural identity.