Islamabad: In a stark denunciation of recent elections in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), senior APHC-AJK leader Muhammad Farooq Rehmani has called out the Indian government’s electoral process as a sham, further complicating the fraught relationship between the occupied territory and New Delhi. Amidst the final phase of what has been labeled as “engineered” elections, criticism has been mounting against India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its governance and electoral strategies in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Rehmani’s statements issued in Islamabad have vehemently criticized the BJP’s claims of legitimate democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir, describing them as nothing more than a “mirage” and “phantom” in a “deserted, slaughtered, and fragmented land”. He articulated a broad critique of the Indian administration’s suppression of civil liberties, economic stifling, and judicial injustices that collectively undermine the democratic ethos in IIOJK.
Rehmani’s comments also touched on the severe restrictions imposed by Indian authorities, including unprecedented surveillance and the arbitrary power of arrest without due process, which he argues are tactics to quash any form of dissent. This portrayal of the situation paints a dire picture of human rights and fundamental freedoms being curtailed under the guise of law and order.
Furthermore, Rehmani has called upon the UN General Secretary to reaffirm the United Nations’ commitment to resolving the Kashmir dispute peacefully and in accordance with UN resolutions. He underscored the necessity for continued international pressure on India to respect the rights of Kashmiri people and to seek a peaceful resolution to the long-standing conflict.
The elections in IIOJK have thus been framed not only as a local or national issue but as a significant international concern that challenges the principles of democratic governance and international law.