ISLAMABAD: Senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Shabbir Ahmed Shah, currently incarcerated in Tihar Jail, New Delhi, urged India to focus on creating a conducive environment for a lasting resolution of the longstanding Kashmir dispute instead of engaging in what he termed as “so-called election dramas” in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In a message conveyed through Kashmir Media Service, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, also the chairman of Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, emphasized that Indian parliamentary elections in IIOJK cannot substitute the Kashmiri people’s fundamental right to self-determination. He asserted that Kashmir remains an unresolved political issue that necessitates meaningful and result-oriented dialogues among the principal parties—the Kashmiris, India, and Pakistan.
Shabbir Shah expressed grave concern over the inflexible approach of Indian authorities towards the Kashmir dispute, emphasizing that aggressive policies cannot alter ground realities. He highlighted that the sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs have propelled the Kashmir issue to the forefront internationally, vowing that these sacrifices will not be in vain.
The APHC leader underscored that the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir have unequivocally rejected the Indian rulers’ rhetoric and are resolute in their struggle for freedom from illegal Indian rule. He condemned the Modi government for militarizing the region and infringing upon the rights of Kashmiris.
Shabbir Shah reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory, emphasizing that sustainable peace, stability, and prosperity in the region hinge on granting Kashmiris their inherent birthright—the right to self-determination—as mandated by United Nations resolutions.
