International Outcry Over IIOJK’s Kunanposhpora Mass Rape Denial of Justice
February 23, 202534 years after the horrific Kunanposhpora mass rape in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the victims continue to be denied justice, prompting strong calls for accountability and international intervention.
Speakers at two recent seminars expressed serious concern over the denial of justice to the victims of the Kunanposhpora mass rape in Kupwara district, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Organized by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) at Fatima Jinnah Postgraduate College and Saheeli Sarkar Girls College in Muzaffarabad, the seminars marked the 34th anniversary of the tragic Kunanposhpora incident.
The seminars were addressed by APHC-AJK General Secretary Parvaiz Ahmed Shah, alongside leaders Shameem Shawl, Zahid Ashraf, Uzair Ahmed Ghazali, and Mushtaq ul Islam, who all expressed deep concern over the severe human rights violations perpetrated by Indian forces in IIOJK. The speakers emphasized that despite the availability of ample evidence, the Indian government, judiciary, and military failed to punish the soldiers involved in the mass rape.
Citing evidence from a BBC documentary and the book ‘Do You Remember Kunan-Poshpora’, the speakers underscored that the involvement of Indian troops in the mass rape was well-documented, yet no one has been held accountable. They criticized the impunity enjoyed by the Indian Army, reinforced by draconian laws, which made a mockery of justice in the name of national security, depriving thousands of Kashmiri women of their right to justice.
The speakers called for the international community and human rights organizations to take immediate action to address the increasing atrocities and human rights violations in IIOJK. They urged the global community to put pressure on India to repeal the black laws, release all Hurriyat leaders and activists who are unjustly detained, and demand that India resolves the Kashmir dispute through peaceful dialogue.
The speakers also paid tribute to the martyrs of Kashmir and appealed to the United Nations to intervene and hold India accountable for violating international laws in IIOJK. They stressed the importance of an independent international investigation into the mass-rape incidents committed by Indian forces.
It is important to recall that on the night of February 22-23, 1991, approximately 100 Kashmiri women were gang-raped by Indian troops during a cordon and search operation in the Kunanposhpora area of Kupwara district. Despite the gravity of the incident and the evidence against the perpetrators, those responsible for the horrific act have never been held accountable.
A rally was also held in Muzaffarabad in remembrance of Kunanposhpora, drawing a large crowd. During the rally, speakers reiterated that despite the passage of years, no action has been taken against the soldiers involved in the tragedy.
In a message from prison, APHC General Secretary Molvi Bashir Ahmed, who is jailed in IIOJK, described the mass rape of Kashmiri women as a shameful chapter in Indian democracy. He also stated that India was denying access to international human rights organizations in IIOJK, while Kashmiri women were being used as a weapon of war.
Similarly, JKNF spokesperson Muhammad Haseeb Wani, referring to the horrific mass rape, emphasized that this incident was a permanent stain on India’s image, as it had used rape as a weapon of war against Kashmiri civilians. He called for an independent international probe into the mass-rape incidents, highlighting that Kashmiri women have been among the worst victims of human rights violations in the region.
