Geneva, Altaf Hussain Wani, a Kashmiri representative, has vocally criticized the extremist policies of India’s government, claiming they have severely impacted the socio-political environment in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at a general debate on the sidelines of the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Wani highlighted the deteriorating political and human rights situation in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Wani, representing the World Muslim Congress, brought to the council’s attention the rampant abuses of human rights, arbitrary detentions, and restrictions on freedom of expression and movement that have become commonplace in Kashmir. He characterized the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kashmir as a superficial attempt to portray normalcy, alleging that public servants were coerced into attending Modi’s rally, and crowds were artificially assembled to create the illusion of support.
Wani argued that Modi’s visit underscored the failure of India’s ruling party to restore political processes, highlighting the incarceration of political leaders, banning of political parties, and suppression of civil society organizations through arbitrary laws. He painted a grim picture of a region where access to justice, truth, and reparations remains elusive, accusing the Indian leader of undermining democracy and the rights to self-determination and civil liberties in Jammu and Kashmir.
In his appeal to the UN Human Rights Council, Wani called for a comprehensive inquiry into the use of arbitrary laws and mechanisms by the Indian government to oppress the Kashmiri people’s peaceful resistance for their right to self-determination.