India can’t silence Kashmiris’ through military might, development mantra: Hurriyat leaders
Srinagar: Hurriyat leaders and organizations have reiterated that India’s occupation of Jammu and Kashmir is sustained solely through military force. They stressed that no amount of so-called development projects or baseless rhetoric can suppress the Kashmiris’ legitimate demand for freedom or alter the territory’s internationally recognized disputed status under the guise of establishing peace.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Hurriyat leaders and organizations, including Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, Dr. Musaib, Maulana Sibte Shabir Qummi, Advocate Haris Wani, Imtiyaz Rishi, Syed Imtiyaz Ahmed, Yasmeen Raja, Dr Irfan Khan, Democratic Freedom Party, Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu Kashmir, Itehadul Muslimeen Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir Tehreek-e-Khawateen andTehreek-e-Wahdat-e-Islami, criticized the oppressive measures implemented during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the occupied territory. They noted that the Kashmir Valley was turned into a virtual fortress, further aggravating the plight of the already subjugated population. They dismissed projects such as rail lines and mountain tunnels, presented as development initiatives, as military-centric schemes aimed at facilitating troop movement rather than benefiting the local population.
The leaders strongly condemned Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s baseless remarks during his visit to Jammu, calling them deliberate distortions of the well-established historical facts about Jammu and Kashmir. They reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir has never been an integral part of India and dismissed his provocative statements about Azad Jammu and Kashmir as yet another indication of New Delhi’s threat to regional peace and security. Such groundless claims, they asserted, cannot rewrite history or change Kashmir’s legal status.
The Hurriyat leaders and organizations further said that Indian officials were perpetuating false narratives to mislead their citizens while ignoring the ongoing human rights violations and systematic oppression in IIOJK
Furthermore, they noted that the Indian government continues to invest trillions of rupees in defense-oriented projects in IIOJK under the pretense of development to sustain its illegitimate occupation. They underscored that nearly 100,000 Kashmiris have been killed, and thousands forcibly disappeared over the past 35 years for demanding their inalienable right to freedom.
Reaffirming their commitment, the Hurriyat leaders emphasized that Kashmiris have categorically rejected India’s illegal occupation and remain resolute in their struggle for freedom, vowing to see it through to its rightful conclusion.
Meanwhile, analysts in Srinagar have highlighted that the infrastructure projects promoted by the BJP-led Indian government are primarily aimed at bolstering security along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC). These projects also facilitate alternative routes for Indian forces to access the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region. They further noted that the BJP appears unwilling to restore statehood to IIOJK as it believes it has established so-called peace in the territory through relentless military oppression and the imposition of its Hindutva-driven policies. Over the past five years, the BJP has been systematically implementing its plan for IIOJK without facing significant interruption or interference, consolidating its control through a calculated mix of military measures.
