APHC Welcomes U.S. Mediation and Pakistan-India Dialogue on Kashmir

As regional tensions persist in South Asia, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has expressed hope for meaningful change through renewed diplomatic efforts and international mediation in the long-standing Kashmir conflict.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has welcomed the revival of dialogue between Pakistan and India and the mediation initiatives proposed by the United States on the Kashmir issue. This development comes as a fresh opportunity to address the prolonged suffering in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

In a statement released in Srinagar, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas expressed gratitude to the United States for offering to mediate. He acknowledged that the U.S. is contributing to an atmosphere conducive to peace talks on Kashmir, aiming to achieve a lasting resolution.

The APHC emphasized the urgent need for genuine Kashmiri leadership, many of whom remain imprisoned in Indian jails, to be included in the proposed talks. According to the APHC, their participation is essential to ensure that any future agreement aligns with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Highlighting the current global context, the spokesman noted that the Trump administration’s focus on peace and trade presents a timely opportunity for the U.S. to mediate effectively in resolving the Kashmir dispute, fostering regional peace and political stability.

The APHC stressed that the involvement of Hurriyat leaders would enhance the legitimacy and sustainability of any solution. The group recalled how in September 2019, the U.S. State Department urged India to resume political dialogue and fulfill its electoral commitments in Kashmir. President Donald Trump also reiterated his willingness to mediate the India-Pakistan Kashmir conflict.

The APHC reaffirmed its commitment to support a peaceful resolution and called on the Indian government to abandon its rigid and authoritarian policies. It urged New Delhi to adopt a constructive dialogue-based approach and end its current repressive stance.

As part of its call for justice, the APHC demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners. This includes high-profile leaders such as Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Aasiya Andrabi, Khurram Parvaiz, Irfan Majeed, and many others detained across various prisons in India and IIOJK.

The APHC also condemned the continued house raids, harassment of civilians, and widespread intimidation across Srinagar, the Kashmir Valley, and parts of Jammu. It called on the United Nations to send monitoring teams to observe and report on the human rights violations in Kashmir.

Reaffirming its support for victims across the region, the APHC expressed solidarity with residents in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, those along the Line of Control, and people living under occupation in IIOJK, emphasizing that Kashmiris remain the biggest victims of this unresolved conflict.