Indian atrocities in Kashmir getting global attention

Islamabad : The human rights conditions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are gradually attracting significant international attention, said Irshad Mahmood, Director-General, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Cell (JKLC), Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Irshad was addressing a roundtable on ‘Rising state repression in IIOJK’ organised by Institute of Strategic Studies (ISS) in collaboration with JKLC here Thursday.

Referring to the report by an international law firm Stoke White and other reports by human rights groups, Mr Irshad said that Amit Shah and Ajeet Doval are key architects of present Indian Kashmir policy that completely relies on excessive use of power and repression to achieve political goals. He observed that by arresting noted Kashmiri journalists and human rights activists, India is clearly signaling that there is no space for any sort of activism.

Senator Zarqa Suharwardi said that the international community is very much aware of the situation in Kashmir but that is not enough. She said that under draconian laws that India has imposed in Kashmir, young boys are picked up from their homes and taken to far flung areas without informing their parents and family members. The same is being done with the bodies of shaheeds which are forcefully taken away from families.

Alaf Hussain Wani, Chairperson, Kashmir Institute of International Relations, suggested that there is much literature available on the human rights violations in Indian Kashmir which needs to be disseminated. In this regard, there is a great deal of responsibility on the Government of Pakistan as well as the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Barrister Nida Salam condemned the atrocities and violation of fundamental human rights taking place in Indian-held Kashmir adding that enforced disappearance, torture and rape are against international laws, commitments and obligations and India is in breach of all of them.

Iftikhar Gillani said that ICRC used to meet the Kashmiri prisoners but now that practice has been discontinued. He stressed the need for ICRC to resume its engagement with Kashmiris imprisoned within IIOJK or in other parts of India.