Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has accused the BJP-led Indian government of employing draconian measures to suppress the freedom movement and silence the voices of dissent in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to Kashmir Media Service, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, a spokesman for the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, issued a statement in Srinagar, highlighting the oppressive atmosphere that pervades IIOJK. Minhas detailed the extensive use of draconian laws, heavy-handed tactics, and unlawful practices by the Indian government aimed at quelling any form of opposition within the territory. He emphasized that since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which stripped IIOJK of its special status, Indian troops have escalated their operations, further intensifying the climate of fear and violence.

The Hurriyat Conference’s statement also addressed the Indian government’s strategy of issuing domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris, a move perceived as an attempt to alter the demographic composition of IIOJK and undermine the Kashmiri people’s struggle for self-determination. Minhas called upon the residents of Jammu and Kashmir to unite against the BJP’s policies and efforts that aim to weaken the Kashmiri resistance.

Additionally, Minhas raised concerns about the treatment of thousands of Kashmiris, including Hurriyat leaders, activists, students, and youth, who are currently detained in various prisons across India and the territory. He labeled their detention as unjust, stating that their only “crime” is resisting India’s illegal occupation and advocating for their rights.

The statement concluded with a plea to the international community to recognize the grave human rights situation in IIOJK and to exert pressure on India to allow the Kashmiri people to determine their political future independently.