Islamabad: Amidst the controversial assembly elections in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), experts and leaders gathered in Islamabad have rejected the electoral process as a substitute for the plebiscite promised to the Kashmiris by the United Nations.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the sentiments were expressed during a roundtable discussion titled “Governance or Control: An Analysis of the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections,” organized by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). Participants criticized the BJP-led Indian government for using the elections as a means to legitimize its control over the region, contrasting it sharply with the UN-backed plebiscite that they argue is both deserved and legally mandated for the Kashmiri people.

The discussion highlighted how India’s actions, including the invitation of foreign delegates to the elections, are attempts to portray the electoral process as transparent. However, experts pointed out the flawed distribution of electoral seats and the absence of strong local Kashmiri leadership, particularly following the death of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Gilani, which has left the region without a clear voice to counter Indian narratives.

Further concerns were raised about the BJP’s forthcoming resolution in the Kashmir Legislative Assembly aimed at justifying the abrogation of Article 370, which had previously granted special status to the territory. The roundtable concluded with a unanimous call for the unification of Kashmiri leadership and a strategic push by Pakistan to leverage evolving international dynamics. This includes encouraging the United Nations to play a more definitive role in resolving the longstanding Kashmir dispute.

The session was moderated by IPS Vice Chairman and former Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain. Notable speakers included IPS Chairman Khalid Rehman, Prof. Dr. Nazir Hussain, former Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Farzana Yaqoob, and Dr. Amina Mehmood of International Islamic University, Islamabad.