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Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has strongly condemned the arrest and harassment of Kashmiri people during cordon and search operations and house raids in Srinagar and other areas of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The APHC spokesman, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, stated that the continued search operations and mass arrests by Indian forces have instilled fear among the people in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Minhas noted that the arbitrary arrests of people in various districts, including Srinagar, Bandipore, and Rajouri, are part of a broader attempt to terrorize the freedom-loving people of Kashmir. He said draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) are being used to arbitrarily detain people and implicate them in false cases to suppress their political voice.
The spokesman highlighted that over 5,000 Kashmiris, including APHC leaders Masarrat Alam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi, and many others, are currently imprisoned in different jails across India and IIOJK. These political prisoners are advocating for the right to self-determination and justice for the people of Kashmir.
Minhas reiterated that the APHC, backed by all Hurriyat leaders and the people of the territory, remains committed to the struggle for their rights and freedom. He urged the people of Kashmir to stay united and firm in their resistance against the occupying regime’s oppressive tactics.
The APHC spokesman also mentioned that the upcoming Indian Lok Sabha elections are being used by New Delhi to divert international attention from the ongoing issue of Kashmir, which remains unresolved as per United Nations resolutions. He called upon the international community to focus on the continuing struggle for democratic and political rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
Minhas concluded by emphasizing that Jammu and Kashmir is at a critical juncture, with its people deprived of their democratic and political right to self-determination.