Kashmir Dispute Resolution is the Key to Lasting Peace in South Asia: APHC

True peace cannot bloom under the shadow of occupation—resolving Kashmir is the key to unlocking lasting stability and prosperity in South Asia

The All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) has firmly stated that peace cannot thrive under the shadow of occupation. It highlighted that resolving the Kashmir dispute is crucial for lasting peace and development across South Asia.

Speaking to the media in Srinagar, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas urged India to face the reality on the ground. He called on the Indian leadership to abandon rigid stances and adopt a more flexible approach to the Kashmir conflict. “If South Asia seeks genuine peace and prosperity, addressing the Kashmir issue based on the UN-recognized right to self-determination is non-negotiable,” Minhas emphasized.

The APHC spokesman also pointed out that the Kashmir conflict has moved beyond its conventional dimensions. He stressed that both India and Pakistan have no viable alternative but to engage in meaningful dialogue. Constant threats and hostility, he warned, will only escalate tensions without providing solutions. “Dialogue, not confrontation, holds the key to progress,” Minhas remarked. Without open communication, he asserted, no breakthrough can be achieved.

Minhas strongly condemned the ongoing illegal detentions of thousands of Kashmiris. He specifically mentioned prominent leaders and activists such as Masarat Alam Butt, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Syeda Asiya Andrabi, Fahmeeda Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, Nayeem Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Pir Saifullah, Merajuddin Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, and others. Among the detained are also noted human rights defenders like Khurrum Parvaiz, along with numerous youth and women.

The APHC criticized the Indian BJP-led government for its oppressive policies in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Minhas compared these tactics to the repressive philosophy of the Nazis, accusing the regime of attempting to silence every dissenting voice. Such harsh measures, he argued, only deepen the wounds of the Kashmiri people and further alienate the region.

The spokesman reiterated that sustainable peace and economic development in South Asia depend on a just resolution of the Kashmir conflict. Ignoring the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, he warned, will continue to fuel instability.