Kashmiri facing existential threat due to world powers’ silence, negligence: APHC
Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), expressing serious concern over the Hindu Indian Amarnath Yatra in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, said that Kashmiris in their own territory are facing existential threat due to silence and negligence of the world powers.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement in Srinagar highlighted the stark contrast between the freedom granted to Hindu gatherings and the severe restrictions imposed on Kashmiri Muslim events, including Muharamin precessions in IIOJK.
He said hundreds of thousands of Indian Hindus in the name of pilgrims are being pumped under the pretext of visiting newly discovered religious shrines in this occupied territory and are being provided all types of facilities for extended stays with the goal of finally settling them there.
The statement said Indian Hindus, including forces personnel, businessmen and bureaucrats, have been provided domicile certificates and the process is being proceeded with high exigency. He said the goal is to change the demographic character of the area and transform it into a Hindu majority region.
Since the rise of Hindutva politics in India, Minhas noted a significant increase in both the number of participants and the duration of the Amarnath Yatra, which now spans an extended period. This prolonged duration, coupled with intensified restrictions, constant checks, and environmental concerns, has exacerbated hardships for the people of Kashmir, he said.
He emphasized that the deployment of huge additional troops and paramilitary forces during the Yatra, along with surveillance measures such as drone monitoring, has further increased the challenges faced by ordinary Kashmirs.
He condemned the widespread detentions, house raids, oppression, and targeting of Hurriyat leaders, activists, youth, and students.
The ongoing Amarnath Yatra, Minhas argued, symbolizes religious discrimination and environmental degradation in IIOJK. He denounced the exploitation of the Yatra for political and ideological dominance, describing it as a tool to intimidate Kashmiri Muslims and suppress their cultural identity.
Despite these challenges, the APHC reaffirmed Kashmiris’ resilience and unwavering commitment to their cause of self-determination, pledging to honour the sacrifices made in pursuit of justتہپTOPice and freedom.
