APHC Raises Alarm Over Growing Non-Local Control in IIOJK’s Economy and Demography

The growing influence of non-local entities in IIOJK’s land and business sectors is raising serious concerns about demographic shifts and the marginalization of local stakeholders.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has expressed deep concern over the increasing control of non-local entities in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), warning that these actions are part of a deliberate effort to alter the region’s demographic and economic landscape. APHC spokesman, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, highlighted how large-scale land purchases in popular tourist spots like Pahalgam by non-locals, under the pretext of constructing luxury hotels, are unsettling the local population. This trend, according to Minhas, is being orchestrated under the directives of the BJP-led administration and is seen as an effort to change the territory’s demographic makeup.

The APHC pointed out that the local governance bodies, such as the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA), are losing their influence as non-locals bypass the authorities in approving construction projects. This has led to growing concerns about the erosion of local decision-making power and the undermining of legal frameworks that were previously in place to protect local interests. Furthermore, officials who speak out against these land sales to non-locals have faced retaliation, such as transfers or being designated as Officers on Special Duty (OSD) to silence their opposition. The recent transfer of a PDA official who opposed such land deals is cited as an example of this repression.

Another issue raised by the APHC is the acquisition of a 70% stake in the local Safco Cement industry by an Indian company, Haryana-based JK Cement. The APHC alleges that the company is misleading the public by using the name “J&K Cement” to obscure its true ownership. Additionally, they claim that the government-owned JK Cement Limited has been deliberately weakened to pave the way for its potential takeover by Adani-owned Ambuja Cement, a company with controversial ties to the Indian government. The APHC warns that these developments are part of a larger trend of large Indian corporations taking control of local businesses, threatening the livelihoods of Kashmiri entrepreneurs.

The APHC also raised concerns about the growing influence of the Jindal Group in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with the company’s expansion under the guidance of BJP leader and Indian Home Minister Amit Shah. The foundation stone for a new steel processing unit was laid in Pulwama in February 2023, and similar projects were announced in Gulmarg in early 2025. The APHC claims that former IIOJK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is secretly advancing the BJP’s agenda in the region, further consolidating power in the hands of non-local entities.

This increasing influx of non-local corporate investments, many of which are tied to BJP leadership, indicates a systematic effort to reshape IIOJK’s economic future. The APHC argues that this strategy consolidates power and wealth in the hands of outsiders, while displacing and marginalizing local business owners.

The APHC has called on the United Nations and international human rights organizations to urgently address the situation in IIOJK, emphasizing the need for a resolution in line with UN resolutions to safeguard the rights and interests of the Kashmiri people.