Intensifying Repression in IIOJK Under Modi’s Third Term, Say Experts at Islamabad Roundtable.
ISLAMABAD: Mushaal Hussein Mullick, wife of the incarcerated Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, expressed grave concerns over the escalating repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) under the Modi-led Indian government. Speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “Human Rights Crisis in IIOJK: What Lies Ahead During Modi’s 3rd Term,” organized by Ambassador Jauhar, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, Mullick highlighted the deteriorating human rights situation in the region.
During the discussion, Mullick detailed the alarming increase in human rights violations since the late 1980s, noting that over 96,000 Kashmiris have lost their lives, and thousands of women have been subjected to sexual violence. She accused Indian security forces, including the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Border Security Force, of engaging in heinous acts such as mass killings, torture, and enforced disappearances, with the intent of suppressing the Kashmiri people’s right to free expression.
Mullick revealed that more than 900,000 Indian troops have placed approximately 8 million Kashmiris under a stringent military lockdown, intensifying the region’s suffering. She described the widespread use of torture, including beatings, electric shocks, and other brutal methods, which have led to numerous deaths in custody.
The former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Human Rights and Women Empowerment voiced fears that the situation in IIOJK would worsen during Modi’s third term. She called on the Indian government to lift the military siege and reverse the policies implemented since August 5, 2019, when the region’s special autonomy was revoked.
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The roundtable also featured insights from notable figures, including Altaf Wani, Chairman of the Kashmir Institute of International Relations; Shamim Shwal, Executive Member of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC); former APHC Convener Syed Faiz Naqshbandi; Human Rights Advocate Barrister Needa Salam; Dr. Waseem, Associate Professor at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML); and Dr. Waqas Ali Kausar, a scholar on Kashmir affairs.
Participants collectively urged the international community to take decisive action against India’s human rights violations in IIOJK, stressing the need for global solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their struggle for justice and self-determination.
