Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has voiced strong condemnation against the Indian government for the ongoing detention of Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders, activists, and youth. These individuals remain incarcerated despite court orders for their release, highlighting a significant concern regarding civil and human rights abuses in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas detailed the grim situation faced by those detained. He described the detentions as the worst form of political vendetta, aimed at suppressing the leaders who advocate for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. Minhas emphasized that the political repression extends to thousands of individuals, including human rights and civil society workers, lawyers, and journalists, all of whom are held in prisons and detention centers under harsh conditions.
Minhas also responded to statements by Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. He firmly reiterated the stance of the Kashmiri people, declaring, “Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris and will always remain theirs; this is our narrative and our stance. No contrary claims can alter this reality.” He accused the Indian authorities of spreading misinformation about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, both domestically and internationally.
Highlighting the broader implications of the conflict, Minhas pointed out the severe threat it poses to regional peace and the ongoing tension it causes between India and Pakistan. He criticized recent political maneuvers in the region, including the so-called elections and the subsequent increase in powers of the Lieutenant Governor over the Chief Minister, which he views as an attempt by the Modi government to further control the region.
Minhas concluded with a poignant reminder of the high cost paid by Kashmiris in their struggle for independence from Indian rule, asserting that the Hurriyat Conference remains committed to honoring and defending the sacrifices of these martyrs.