Safi draws attention of UN, rights bodies to ongoing human tragedy in IIOJK
Says Kunan-Poshpora dark chapter in history of occupied Kashmir
Islamabad: The convener of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference-Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter, Ghulam Mohammad Safi, has paid tribute to the indomitable struggle of the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir spanning seven decades, and particularly their iron resolve against the escalating atrocities of the Indian occupation since 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a detailed statement in Islamabad, Safi highlighted that to sabotage the ongoing movement for the right to self-determination in the occupied territory, India has employed every traditional method of oppression and coercion. He further condemned the systematic use of sexual violence as a deliberate weapon of war, leaving an indelible stain on humanity.
Referring to the tragic incident of the night of February 22–23, 1991, in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora in Kupwara district, Safi described it as one of the darkest chapters in South Asian history. On that harrowing night, over 100 respectable women were subjected to collective sexual assault by Indian forces, violating all moral boundaries and shredding international laws and human rights charters.
Safi expressed deep anguish that even after three decades, the victims—mothers, sisters, and daughters—continue to be denied justice, repeatedly facing obstacles in their quest for redress. He said this reflects a stain on India’s “so-called” democracy and raises serious questions about the global community’s silence. He emphasized that this heinous act was not accidental but part of a deliberate state policy aimed at breaking the morale of Kashmiris and forcing them to abandon their legitimate and rightful struggle. The deliberate delay in delivering justice, along with state protection of the perpetrators, underscores that power, rather than law, rules in the territory.
Safi further warned that the occupation administration is now attempting to change the territory’s demographics, bulldoze Kashmiri homes, illegally seal properties, and economically cripple the pro-freedom class by removing them from jobs, which are blatant violations of the Geneva Convention.
He made a strong appeal to the United Nations, the international community, and global human rights defenders to urgently take notice of the ongoing human tragedy unfolding in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
