ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): On the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, India continues to treat the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) as slaves.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a report, released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service on the day, states that millions of Kashmiris have been subjected to forced slavery under Indian occupation.
It said India is strengthening its military and Hindutva agendas in the disputed territory, treating Kashmiris as both slaves and enemies.
The report drew a historical parallel, noting that Kashmiris faced forced labour and oppression akin to slavery under the Dogra regime (1846–1947) and continue to endure similar conditions since 1947.
It said that the situation has worsened following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A, with Kashmiris now compelled to work for the BJP regime and military without fair wages or basic facilities under repressive laws.
According to the report, the Indian military, paramilitary and police personnel, along with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency (SIA), have had a devastating effect on social and economic life.
The report maintained that these forces have disrupted local business, agricultural, and political activities, leading to widespread poverty, depression, and fear.
The report further stated that youth, elderly men, women, and even children have been victims of what it termed “state-sponsored terrorism.”
The practice of human slavery is witnessed in terms of cordon and search operations and house raids, where the sexual exploitation of Kashmiri women is cited as a brutal aspect of this enslavement, the report maintained.
The report cited the statements of National Conference leaders, including MPs and IIOJK chief minister Omar Abdullah, who have publicly voiced concerns about the power dynamics in occupied Kashmir, emphasizing that real authority lies with the New Delhi-appointed Lieutenant Governor.
“Our government has nothing in its hands. All the power is in the hands of the LG. Orders flow from Indian Home Minister Amit Shah from New Delhi,” said National Conference Rajya Sabha MP Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan.
Reign of terror across occupied Kashmir
Meanwhile, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference spokesman, Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement issued in Srinagar strongly condemned the reign of terror unleashed by Indian troops across occupied Kashmir.
It called upon the United Nations to force India to end modern-day slavery in the occupied territory. The statement said that Indian troops enjoying unbridled powers under black laws are perpetrating crimes against the Kashmiris who are struggling to break shackles of Indian slavery and secure their right to self-determination acknowledged by the World Body.
The APHC deplored that the RSS-backed Hindutva Indian government led by Narendra has turned occupied Kashmir into a hell for its inhabitants for demanding their UN-recognized right to self-determination.
He urged the international community to play its role in the settlement of this lingering dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions for ensuring permanent peace in South Asia.
