Demolition Drive in IIOJK: A Strategy to Dispossess and Silence Kashmiris

The demolition of Kashmiri homes by Indian forces marks yet another dark chapter in the ongoing efforts to crush the spirit of an oppressed people in IIOJK.

Indian forces have once again demolished the homes of five more Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), intensifying fears of collective punishment across the region.

The residential properties, belonging to the families of Amir Nazeer Wani, Jameel Ahmad Sher Gojri, Adnan Safi Dar, Amir Ahmed, and Farooq Ahmad Tedwa, were reduced to rubble with the use of powerful explosives.

The destruction did not stop with these five homes. Dozens of nearby houses also suffered severe structural damage, leaving multiple families homeless and traumatized. The affected communities are grappling with immense loss and uncertainty, struggling to find shelter and safety.

Critics argue that Indian authorities are adopting tactics similar to those used by Israeli forces in occupied territories — targeting civilian homes to render populations homeless and weaken their resistance. Many view these demolitions as a deliberate attempt to break the will of the Kashmiri people opposing Indian occupation.

Reports highlight that in just the past three days, the Indian government has demolished at least seven more ancestral homes, signaling a sharp escalation in its demolition campaign.

In response to these alarming developments, Abdul Rashid Minhas, a spokesman for the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), issued a strong condemnation from Srinagar. He described the demolitions as part of a wider Hindutva-driven project led by Narendra Modi’s regime.

According to Minhas, the ultimate aim is to displace Kashmiris, seize their properties, and alter the Muslim-majority demographic makeup of the territory. He emphasized that the Modi government’s actions align with a settler-colonial agenda intended to turn IIOJK into a Hindu-dominated region.

Despite the destruction, Minhas reaffirmed that the people of IIOJK will not be subdued. He declared that Kashmiris remain firmly committed to their rightful struggle for the UN-recognized right to self-determination.

Minhas also pointed to a series of other measures used against Kashmiris, including mass arrests, prolonged detentions, and the strategic issuance of domiciles to non-Kashmiris. He warned that these actions form part of a broader plan to erase IIOJK’s identity and suppress its people under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s divisive policies.

As the humanitarian crisis worsens, calls are growing louder for international intervention to halt the atrocities being committed in the occupied territory.