Srinagar: The Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) has criticized statements made by Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar regarding Kashmir, labeling them as misleading attempts to deceive the international community. The DFP asserts that Kashmir remains an internationally recognized disputed territory that is still awaiting a resolution in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, DFP spokesman Advocate Arshad Iqbal responded to Jaishankar’s recent comments by stating that the Indian minister’s assertions are a clear display of ignorance regarding the numerous UN resolutions that affirm Kashmir’s status as a disputed area. These resolutions also call for a referendum to enable the Kashmiri people to decide their own political destiny. “Kashmir has been a long-standing issue on the UN agenda for the past seven decades,” Iqbal noted, emphasizing the habitual nature of the Indian minister’s misleading statements which aim to distort the historical facts of the Kashmir issue.
Iqbal further urged the United Nations to fulfill its responsibilities towards facilitating a peaceful resolution of this prolonged dispute. He highlighted the urgent need for the international community, particularly the UN, to intervene and play a decisive role in resolving the Kashmir conflict and addressing the ongoing human rights violations in the region.
The DFP spokesman also drew attention to the severe consequences of the unresolved dispute, which, since 1947, has led to extensive suffering, including widespread deaths and destruction in Kashmir. He described the torturous conditions faced by Kashmiris, who endure constant violence and state terrorism by Indian forces. “Innocent people of Kashmir are routinely subjected to killings, harassment, and torture by Indian trigger-happy forces,” he stated, condemning the transformation of Kashmir into what he called a “virtual hell” under India’s authoritarian rule.
Advocate Iqbal reiterated the DFP’s demand for a referendum, asserting that conducting a plebiscite under UN supervision is the only viable solution to peacefully resolve the dispute. He concluded by stating that India must recognize that it cannot quell the legitimate aspirations of Kashmiris through violence, the imprisonment of Hurriyat leaders and activists, or the suppression of dissent within the territory.