ISLAMABAD: Mushaal Hussein Mullick, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Human Rights and Women Empowerment, has issued a fervent plea to the global community and human rights organizations to confront the alarming trend of custodial rape perpetrated by Indian forces in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
She emphasizes the urgent need for international attention and action to address this heinous tactic employed by Indian troops, who have wielded rape as a weapon of war for decades with impunity.
Highlighting data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Mushaal exposes the disturbing reality of custodial rape in India, with 275 recorded cases between 2017 and 2022. These incidents, spanning various states, implicate perpetrators from law enforcement agencies, armed forces, and other custodial facilities, revealing a pattern of abuse of power under the guise of state protection.
Recalling notorious cases such as the Kunan Poshpora gang rape in 1991 and the Shopian double murder and rape, Mushaal underscores the ongoing nightmare faced by women in Kashmir. She condemns the Indian forces’ egregious violations of human rights and women’s dignity, emphasizing that the perpetrators exhibit a complete disregard for humanity and women’s rights.
The gravity of the situation is further underscored by the staggering statistics: over 11,000 cases of sexual violence reported since 1989 in IIOJK, resulting in thousands of women widowed and children orphaned. Mushaal asserts that the Indian forces’ brutality knows no bounds, yet their actions only serve to strengthen the resolve of Kashmiri freedom fighters.
In light of these atrocities, Mushaal calls for immediate and concerted international action to hold the perpetrators accountable and ensure justice for the victims. She urges the global community to break its silence and stand in solidarity with the oppressed people of IIOJK, reaffirming the imperative of upholding human rights and ending the culture of impunity perpetuated by Indian forces.
