Islamabad: Kashmiri human rights activist Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman of the Kashmir Institute of International Relations, described enforced disappearances in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir as severe human rights violations, with over 10,000 people reportedly missing since 1989. Wani emphasized the devastating impact on the families of the disappeared during a statement on the International Day of Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Wani highlighted the continuous suffering of the victims’ families, particularly the “Half-Widows” and “Half-Wives,” who live in perpetual mourning without closure. He criticized the Indian government’s failure to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and called for international accountability and comprehensive investigations into the disappearances and unmarked mass graves to identify the victims and provide justice to their families.
Wani’s remarks underscore the ongoing crisis in the region, where the absence of international human rights adherence deepens the trauma for countless families. As global observances bring attention to such issues, the plight of those affected in Jammu and Kashmir garners renewed focus.