APHC Slams Attacks on Kashmiri Students and Businesses in India

Tensions rise for Kashmiris across India as violent backlash and threats follow the Pahalgam incident, prompting urgent calls for intervention from APHC leaders and civil society.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and other pro-freedom organisations have expressed grave concern over the recent wave of attacks and threats targeting Kashmiri students and business owners from across various Indian states.

Following the Pahalgam incident, several reports have emerged of Kashmiri students being beaten, harassed, and evicted from hostels and rented homes. Members of the Kashmiri business community are also facing intimidation and social boycotts.

In a statement from Srinagar, APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas condemned the attacks, describing them as yet another manifestation of India’s Hindutva-driven hostility against Kashmiris.

He was joined in condemnation by the IIOJK Students and Youth Forum (JKSYF) and other youth and student bodies who expressed deep concern for the safety of Kashmiri youth pursuing education in Indian institutions.

According to the Hurriyat groups, these acts of violence and intimidation appear to be systematic and targeted, aimed at isolating and silencing Kashmiris. Victims were reportedly told to vacate university hostels and private residences due to their ethnic and regional identity.

The organisations noted that these actions not only violate human rights but also undermine the safety and dignity of Kashmiri citizens living outside their homeland.

The statements also urged Indian civil society organisations to break their silence and take a firm stand against these rising incidents of communal hatred and violence. Civil society, they said, has a moral responsibility to counteract hate-mongering and safeguard the rights of all citizens, regardless of region or religion.

In a significant diplomatic appeal, the APHC and allied organisations called upon the United Nations Secretary General to take urgent notice of the deteriorating conditions in IIOJK and to push for the implementation of UN resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.

The Hurriyat leadership emphasized that lasting peace in the region cannot be achieved through suppression and fear. Instead, they reaffirmed their call for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir conflict, rooted in international law and the will of the Kashmiri people.

As incidents continue to surface online, including disturbing visuals shared on social media, solidarity movements are gaining traction within Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and among human rights defenders globally.