Islamabad, On International Mother’s Day, thousands of Kashmiri mothers continue their agonizing wait for the return of their sons who have been detained or disappeared by Indian forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, a report released by its Research Section highlights the severe impact of ongoing state terrorism by India in the region. Since 1989, it states, 96,300 Kashmiris have been killed, including women and children. The report also notes that 22,974 women have been widowed and 11,263 subjected to rape or other forms of sexual violence by Indian forces.
The document details the plight of families, particularly mothers, who are left with lingering uncertainty and pain over the fate of their loved ones. About 8,000 Kashmiris have reportedly been subjected to custodial disappearances, with their mothers enduring years, sometimes decades, of waiting for any news of their return.
The report also mentions several specific cases of Kashmiri mothers who have passed away without ever learning what happened to their sons. For instance, Haseena Begum died without finding her son Syed Anwar Shah, who disappeared after being detained by Indian troops in 2000. Similarly, Mahtaba Begum and Misra Begum died after long, fruitless searches for their sons, who were arrested in the early 1990s and never returned.
Furthermore, the report criticizes the harsh conditions faced by over three dozen women, including prominent figures like Aasiya Andrabi, who are held in Indian prisons under severe charges. It challenges the international community and organizations dedicated to women’s rights to acknowledge and act against the injustices faced by Kashmiri women under Indian occupation.
The release of this report on Mother’s Day underscores the contrasting experiences of mothers globally, as those in IIOJK continue to suffer the devastating consequences of conflict and state-led oppression, their grief and loss largely unrecognized by the world.