Atmosphere of fear: Kashmiris accuse India of ethnic cleansing

All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has voiced grave concern over the continued denial of fundamental political rights to the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), accusing India of pursuing an anti-Kashmir agenda and engaging in systematic ethnic cleansing of the Kashmiri population.

APHC spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, in a statement from Srinagar, condemned the killing of a student from Sopore and called on the international community to intervene to end the ongoing brutal killings of innocent Kashmiris by Indian occupying forces in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, recognised internationally, Caliber.Az reports via Kashmir English.

Minhas highlighted that atrocities by Indian security forces and intelligence agencies against Kashmiris peacefully striving for freedom have instilled widespread fear and insecurity throughout the region.

He further asserted that the BJP-led Indian government is attempting to suppress the Kashmiri people at gunpoint, in clear violation of international law.

The spokesperson reaffirmed that Kashmiris are engaged in a legitimate struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination, as recognised by the United Nations, and stressed that the global community must hold India accountable for crimes against humanity in the occupied territory.

APHC also urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take notice of India’s actions aimed at reducing the Muslim majority in Kashmir and to actively work toward resolving the Kashmir dispute in line with UN resolutions.

The Kashmir region has been a disputed territory since 1947, when British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the region, and the first war over Kashmir broke out immediately after partition. A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1949 divided the territory between Indian and Pakistani control, but the proposed plebiscite to determine the will of the people never took place.

Over the decades, the region has seen periodic wars and insurgencies, including major conflicts in 1965 and 1971, and ongoing skirmishes along the heavily militarised Line of Control. In 2019, India revoked Kashmir’s special autonomous status and reorganised the territory into two federally governed units, intensifying political tensions and drawing international attention.

Recent years have witnessed significant incidents escalating local tensions and international concern. In April 2025, armed attackers killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam, one of the deadliest civilian attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir in decades.

Later in 2025, Pakistan-administered Kashmir experienced widespread protests, resulting in clashes and multiple deaths, highlighting unresolved political and economic grievances.

Security operations continue as suspected militants are apprehended near the Indo-Pak border, including a recent arrest of a Jaish-e-Mohammed operative with weapons in Akhnoor.

Investigations also link suspected Kashmiri individuals to incidents beyond the region, such as the Red Fort blast in Delhi, reflecting broader security concerns.

These events occur against a backdrop of ongoing counterinsurgency operations in South Kashmir and continued tension between India and Pakistan, keeping the region highly volatile.

Calls for accountability, human rights monitoring, and international intervention remain central to discussions about Kashmir’s future.

By Jeyhun Aghazada