Political reactions have intensified in Jammu and Kashmir after National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah urged the Centre and the international community to intervene over reports of killings and alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters after an event in Srinagar, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that if the Centre considers Pakistan-controlled Kashmir an integral part of India, it should also raise its voice over the hardships faced by people in the region.
Farooq Abdullah calls for intervention
Farooq Abdullah said he had repeatedly appealed to United Nations human rights bodies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene in the situation.
“I have requested the UN Human Rights Commission to go there, see the problems of the people, and try to resolve them. I have also appealed to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister,” Abdullah said.
Questioning the Centre’s approach, he said, “If this is your part, why don’t you speak about what is happening there? Why don’t you say that the killings must stop? I have not heard any statement from their side.”
His remarks came amid reports of civilian deaths during clashes between security forces and protesters.
Supports student protests
Farooq Abdullah also expressed support for the ongoing student protests over the NEET paper leak issue, saying the movement would continue if the government failed to address students’ concerns.
“If the government does not fulfil its promises and instead files cases against students, arrests them and harasses them, the protests will not stop. The students have awakened and, God willing, they will continue their movement,” he said.
Criticises action in Anantnag
The NC leader also criticised the recent administrative action in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, where authorities demolished several structures after alleging they were built using proceeds from drug trafficking.
Abdullah claimed that thousands had been arrested and many homes demolished following the incident. He urged the government to avoid measures that could further alienate people.
“Such steps should be avoided. The government should act in a way that maintains the trust of the people instead of creating more distance,” he said.
BJP seeks international probe into violence
Meanwhile, the BJP Human Rights Cell in Jammu and Kashmir also condemned the “civilian deaths in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK)” and called for an independent international investigation.
Sarfraz Hamid Rather, Co-Convenor of the BJP Human Rights Cell, said reports of civilian casualties and the alleged use of excessive force against protesters in Rawalakot and nearby areas had raised serious concerns.
“It is deeply disturbing that despite grave human rights violations, the response of global human rights institutions appears muted. Human rights are universal and cannot be protected selectively,” Rather said.
He urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and other international organisations to conduct an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the reported incidents.
BJP criticises Pakistan minister’s remarks
Reacting to Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s reported remarks describing protesters as “enemies like India”, BJP spokesperson and Convenor for International Affairs Gaurav Gupta said the statement exposed Pakistan’s “authoritarian mindset” and its disregard for democratic rights and the “aspirations of the people living in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir”.
