APHC expresses concern over violent polices of Indian army, police in IIOJK
Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has expressed serious concern over the worsening human rights situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the violent policies of the Indian military and police have snatched away basic rights and silenced voices, including the political demand for a plebiscite.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, in a statement issued in Srinagar, urged the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution passed on January 5, 1949, which affirms that the people of Kashmir must be allowed to decide their political future through a plebiscite based on the right to self-determination. He stressed that a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute is imperative for regional peace.
He noted that the situation has further deteriorated in the territory following the illegal abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. “On January 5, 1949, the United Nations passed a very important resolution to allow the Kashmiri people to decide their future. Due to India’s stubbornness, the dispute remains unresolved even after decades,” he said.
The APHC said Kashmiris continue to face miseries in terms of massive cordon-and-search operations by Indian troops, paramilitary forces, and police personnel, as well as raids conducted by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency (SIA). It added that the Hindutva BJP government is victimizing the people of IIOJK for demanding their right to self-determination and attempting to communalize all institutions in the territory.
The APHC further stated that Kashmiris have made unprecedented sacrifices for the Kashmir cause and called on the international community to play an active role in resolving the long-standing dispute. It warned that without resolution, lasting peace in South Asia cannot be achieved and that failure by the United Nations to grant Kashmiris their right to a referendum could lead to a serious regional crisis.
The statement emphasized that the right to self-determination is the fundamental right of Kashmiris, who will continue their peaceful struggle for this birthright. The matchless sacrifices of the Kashmiri people will not be allowed to go in vain, and the freedom movement will be pursued to its logical conclusion at all costs.
