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Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has accused the BJP-led Indian government of using the ongoing Lok Sabha elections to obscure its alleged human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas issued a statement in Srinagar denouncing India’s military strategy in the region, which he claims involves over 1,100,000 troops. This deployment creates a highly militarized environment with a soldier-to-civilian ratio of 1:10, not just along the Line of Control but also within civilian communities. Minhas described the extensive military presence as a means to enforce control and suppress the local population’s call for self-determination—a right promised under UN resolutions.
The APHC highlighted that these actions are in violation of international laws and have led to severe human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests and torture. The statement also referenced warnings from international organizations like Genocide Watch and recent intelligence reports from the United States, which predict rising tensions in the region, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.
Additionally, the Hurriyat Conference praised the endurance of senior leader Mushtaqul Islam, who has been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act in Uttar Pradesh for the past two years. This case was cited as an example of the ongoing efforts to quell political dissent and activism in Kashmir.
The group called on the United Nations to intervene and resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with its historical commitments to facilitate a plebiscite for the Kashmiri people, emphasizing the global responsibility to prevent further violence and uphold human rights in the region.