Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has stated that lasting peace in South Asia cannot be achieved without resolving the Kashmir dispute in line with the aspirations of its people.

According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s portrayal of the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) during the Lok Sabha elections. Minhas argued that the BJP’s narrative of returning peace to the region contrasts sharply with the increased harassment of Kashmiris by Indian forces and efforts to alter the demographic makeup of the region since August 5, 2019.

Minhas also highlighted the BJP’s policies in Kashmir as a threat to the peace and stability of the entire region, emphasizing the need for a resolution that reflects the wishes of Kashmiri people. He condemned the continued illegal detention of key Kashmiri leaders and activists and criticized the prohibition of Jumatul-Wida and Eid prayers at the historic Jamia Mosque in Srinagar, calling it a severe violation of religious rights.

The APHC’s statement comes at a time of intensified military presence and operations in Kashmir, which Minhas described as turning the valley into a military garrison and significantly impacting the lives of its residents.