SRINAGAR: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) on Saturday firmly reiterated that Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris and no illegal Indian claims can alter this reality.
In a strong response to recent remarks by Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the APHC dismissed New Delhi’s assertion of Kashmir being an integral part of India as “illogical and unrealistic.”
The APHC criticized Indian authorities for deceiving both the Indian public and the international community regarding the true status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“Kashmir belongs to the Kashmiris and will always remain theirs,” the APHC said in a statement, adding that India’s long-standing narrative cannot change the region’s reality or the aspirations of its people.
In light of the escalating crisis, the APHC and other voices from the region are urging the international community to take meaningful action in support of the beleaguered people of IIOJK. As calls for justice grow louder, the world is watching closely for any signs of resolution in this long-standing dispute.
Meanwhile, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Indian police have arrested two youths during a cordon and search operation in the Poonch district.
On the other hand, an indefinite hunger strike led by prominent Ladakhi climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has entered its 14th day at Ladakh Bhawan in Delhi. Wangchuk and his supporters are protesting against the policies of the Modi government, calling for the protection of Ladakh’s rights and climate concerns.
Leaders from the All India Kisan Sabha, a left-affiliated farmers’ organization, visited Wangchuk and the fasting activists in a show of solidarity, urging the people of India to support Ladakh’s democratic struggle and resist threats to democracy posed by the Modi-Shah government.
The ongoing unrest in the region has brought renewed attention to the unresolved Kashmir dispute. Earlier, senior APHC leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq stressed that sustainable peace, stability, and economic growth in the region are impossible without addressing the core issue of Kashmir.
In an interview from Srinagar, Mirwaiz noted that the Kashmir conflict remains the primary source of tension between Pakistan and India, and resolving it is essential for improving relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The senior APHC leader further criticized the BJP-led Indian government for trying to erase Kashmiri’s identity through its actions, particularly since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019.
Mirwaiz highlighted that the people of IIOJK have overwhelmingly rejected these illegal actions in recent local elections, which he said have further internationalized the Kashmir dispute.
Mirwaiz called on New Delhi to acknowledge the ground realities and engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve the long-standing conflict. He warned that continued suppression and denial of basic rights in the region would only prolong the suffering of the Kashmiri people.
