Srinagar, The region of Jammu and Kashmir, under the administration of the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been characterized as the world’s largest open-air prison, with over one million troops reportedly deployed, as per local political experts and observers.

According to Kashmir Media Service, these experts, who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation, conveyed that the extensive military presence in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has severely impacted the daily lives of the Kashmiri population, stripping them of fundamental rights including the right to life. They narrated the ongoing situation as one where daily killings, torture, and arrests by Indian troops are commonplace, contributing to an atmosphere of fear and oppression.

The conversations with these political experts and Kashmir watchers revealed that the conflict in Kashmir has led to the deaths of 96,290 individuals from January 1989 to February 2024, marking the region as one of the most militarized in the world. The current regime, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was accused of exacerbating the situation through increased brutalities.

These observers have called for international attention and intervention, highlighting the desperate circumstances faced by the people of IIOJK under the shadow of such heavy military presence and alleged state terrorism.