APHC Stresses Kashmir Dispute as International Issue, Urges Global Action Against Indian Aggression

The APHC has once again highlighted the Kashmir dispute as an international issue, calling on the global community to hold India accountable for its actions in IIOJK.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has reaffirmed that the Kashmir dispute is an international issue, a stance explicitly recognized by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The APHC, through a statement issued by its spokesman, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, emphasized that India’s actions on August 5, 2019, when it unilaterally revoked the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), were a clear violation of these UNSC resolutions. According to the APHC, these actions do not change the internationally acknowledged status of Kashmir as a disputed region.

Advocate Minhas condemned India’s persistent denial of the Kashmir dispute and its portrayal of the issue as an “internal matter.” He termed this as a deliberate attempt by New Delhi to avoid accountability. The APHC also urged the international community to recognize India’s settler-colonial policies in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which they described as a blatant violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. The silence of the United Nations, Minhas pointed out, only emboldens India’s ongoing oppression in the region.

The APHC has continued to press for international pressure on India, demanding that the country halt its aggressive actions and honor its commitments under UN resolutions, particularly the resolution that guarantees Kashmiris their right to self-determination. The Hurriyat Conference has consistently called on the global community to uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people and to stand against India’s unilateral actions that have altered the region’s status.

In his statement, Minhas also expressed support for the political prisoners in IIOJK, especially those associated with the Hurriyat leadership, whose steadfastness in the face of adversity continues to inspire the movement for the right to self-determination. He praised the sacrifices made by these prisoners, whose efforts, he said, were rewriting history in the struggle for Kashmiri freedom. At the same time, he expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health conditions of several detained Hurriyat leaders and activists.

The APHC spokesperson specifically mentioned the dire conditions faced by prominent leaders such as APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Aasiya Andrabi, and many others, who continue to languish in Indian jails. Minhas condemned the “criminal apathy” displayed by Indian authorities, particularly in regard to the health of these prisoners, calling it a flagrant violation of their rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948. The statement further emphasized that the inhumane treatment of these political prisoners was part of a larger pattern of repression and oppression targeting Kashmiris under Indian occupation.

The APHC’s statement is a strong reminder of the ongoing struggle faced by Kashmiris, both inside and outside of prisons, and calls for the international community to take immediate action to stop India’s oppressive policies and ensure the protection of human rights in the region.