ISLAMABAD: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has accused the BJP-led Indian government of using harsh measures to stifle freedom of expression in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Kashmir Media Service reported that Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, the APHC spokesman, stated in Srinagar that every Kashmiri feels oppressed in an environment of fear and intimidation in IIOJK.
Minhas highlighted that the Indian government is resorting to draconian laws, oppressive tactics, and illegal methods to silence dissenting voices in the occupied region. He emphasized that Indian forces have escalated aggressive operations in IIOJK following the revocation of the territory’s special status in August 2019.
Since the annulment of Article 370, the Modi government has issued numerous domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris, aiming to alter IIOJK’s Muslim-majority demographic and undermine Kashmiris’ struggle for self-determination.
Minhas called upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir to unite against the BJP’s agenda and not allow their anti-Kashmir plans to succeed. He asserted that New Delhi’s use of violence, arrests, torture, and other brutal tactics will not deter Kashmiris from pursuing their quest for freedom.
Expressing grave concern for the well-being of thousands of Kashmiris, including Hurriyat leaders, youth, students, and activists detained in various Indian and local jails, Minhas denounced their incarceration as unjustified opposition to India’s unlawful occupation of their homeland.
The APHC spokesman urged the international community to promptly address the deteriorating human rights situation in IIOJK and exert pressure on India to respect Kashmiris’ right to determine their political future autonomously.
