Srinagar: From his cell in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, a senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), has called for the United Nations to intervene in the Kashmir dispute to foster regional peace. Shah, who has been detained since 2017, highlighted the urgency of resolving the conflict in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Shah conveyed his message from jail, criticizing the current Indian government’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused the BJP-led government of pursuing a Hindutva agenda that compromises the rights and identity of the Kashmiri people. Shah emphasized the strategic significance of Kashmir, located between three nuclear powers—Pakistan, India, and China—and its critical role in maintaining global peace.

Shah described Kashmir as a militarized zone where human rights violations are rampant, asserting that the situation has worsened since August 2019 when the Indian government revoked the region’s special status. He appealed to the international community to pressure India to cease these violations and to engage in a dialogue that respects the Kashmiri people’s aspirations and adheres to international law.

Shabbir Ahmad Shah, along with other Hurriyet leaders such as APHC chairman Massarat Alam Butt, remain incarcerated, their arrests marking a continuous crackdown on dissent within the region.