UN Chief Urged to Launch Probe Into Pahalgam Incident

Amid rising human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Pasban-e-Hurriyat Chairman Uzair Ahmed Ghazali has called on the United Nations to break its silence and take urgent action against India’s atrocities, including the recent Pahalgam incident.

In a powerful letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Uzair Ahmed Ghazali, the Chairman of Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, urged the United Nations to form an independent international commission to investigate the Pahalgam Incident and the fresh wave of ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Ghazali stressed the urgency of the situation, specifically drawing attention to recent incidents in Pahalgam and other areas, where Indian forces have reportedly launched violent crackdowns on unarmed civilians. He called the UN’s silence on the matter both troubling and unacceptable.

In the letter, Ghazali detailed several alarming developments over the past few weeks. According to him, Indian security forces have destroyed many homes, raided hundreds of residences, and tortured numerous residents across Srinagar and other regions of the Kashmir Valley. Over 2000 citizens have been arrested, with many facing property seizures, home demolitions, and forced land evictions.

Ghazali listed a 10-point appeal to the UN, demanding immediate global intervention. Among his key demands was the appointment of a commission to investigate the Pahalgam incident and other human rights violations. He also called for the repeal of repressive laws, including AFSPA, POTA, TADA, UAPA, and PSA, which he said are being misused to suppress dissent and target Kashmiri civilians.

Additionally, the letter condemned the actions of Indian investigative agencies such as the NIA, CIK, and SIU, accusing them of unlawfully confiscating land and demolishing private homes. Ghazali requested that these activities be banned under international law.

He further demanded the release of imprisoned Kashmiris, including women, journalists, activists, and political leaders, who he said are languishing in Indian jails without fair trial. The letter also urged the UN to invalidate the controversial decisions of the Indian Lok Sabha on August 5, 2019, and the Supreme Court ruling of December 11, 2023, which effectively stripped IIOJK of its special status and facilitated demographic changes in the disputed territory.

Ghazali concluded by urging the international community to support the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people through a UN-sponsored referendum, as outlined in earlier resolutions. He warned that India’s ongoing attempt to convert IIOJK into a Hindu-majority region could ignite further instability in South Asia.