IIOJK Shutdown Called Against Waqf Bill and Domicile Drive

A sweeping shutdown looms over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow (Friday), as Kashmiris push back against moves they believe threaten their identity, land, and faith.

A complete strike is scheduled in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Friday in protest of the recently passed Waqf Amendment Bill and the widespread issuance of domicile certificates to non-locals. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has called for the shutdown, urging residents to participate in the resistance.

APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, in a statement from Srinagar, reaffirmed the call for a massive protest. He encouraged people to head toward Dargah and Jamia Masjid on April 25 as a form of symbolic resistance against the controversial Waqf Amendment Act 2025 and the mass granting of domicile rights to outsiders. According to him, these actions represent a deliberate attack on the religious, political, and social identity of both Kashmiri and Indian Muslims.

Minhas labeled the Waqf Act as a discriminatory measure, part of what he described as a broader strategy by the Indian government to marginalize Muslims and alter the region’s demographic makeup. He emphasized that these policies are anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmiri in nature.

Additionally, the APHC called for an independent, UN-backed war crimes investigation into past massacres across the occupied territory, as well as the recent Pahalgam tourist attack. The group continues to raise questions about the incident, pointing out the heavy presence of Indian army and intelligence personnel, including members of RAW, in both uniform and civilian clothes across the region.

Minhas also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of promoting communal politics through their Hindutva-driven agenda, which, he said, has intensified efforts to suppress Kashmiri voices and restructure the demographic landscape of the Muslim-majority territory.

To support Friday’s strike, posters have been placed in various neighborhoods throughout Kashmir by APHC activists. These posters encourage the public to unite and resist the Indian government’s attempts to dilute the region’s Muslim identity. Calls for the shutdown have also gone viral on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, spreading awareness and rallying support for the cause.

The protest on April 25 is seen as not only a rejection of the Waqf law and domicile policy but also a broader stand against what many Kashmiris view as systematic efforts to erase their cultural and religious uniqueness.

The APHC reiterated its commitment to peaceful resistance, urging the international community to take urgent note of these developments and intervene to protect the rights and identity of the Kashmiri people.