Kashmir Rights Activists Call on International Community to Address Human Rights Violations in IIOJK on Human Rights Day

International News Report
By Dr. Ansab Ali — Lahore, Pakistan

LAHORE: On International Human Rights Day, a seminar organized by the Kashmir Center Lahore highlighted the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). Speakers called on the international community and global organizations to raise their voices against India’s alleged war crimes and systematic efforts to erase the identity of Kashmiris.

The seminar was presided over by senior PPP leader Ghulam Abbas Mir, with Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry, prominent human rights activist and President of the Legal Council Human Rights Society of Pakistan, serving as the chief guest.

Other speakers included In-charge Center Inam-ul-Hassan, Kashmiri leader Maulana Shafi Josh, Central Joint Secretary PTI AJK Mirza Sadiq Jarral, Vice President PML-N AJK Lahore Division Chaudhry Muhammad Saddique, Secretary General HRSP A.M. Shakoori, human rights activist Ms. Amna Naseer, senior journalist Naseer-ul-Haq Hashmi, religious scholars Allama Mushtaq Qadri and Allama Fida-ur-Rehman Haidari, as well as representatives from civil society.

Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry highlighted that human rights violations in Kashmir have persisted for more than half a century, criticizing the international community and the United Nations for failing to halt India’s alleged war crimes. He traced the roots of the conflict to the Treaty of Amritsar in 1846, describing it as a historic injustice that laid the foundation for the princely states, including Kashmir, under British India.

He emphasized that following UN resolutions and the abrogation of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status in 2019, India has been able to act with impunity, and the Kashmiri people have faced severe oppression. Advocate Chaudhry criticized the double standards of the international community, noting that while there is concern for animal rights in the West, Muslims in Kashmir and Palestine are allegedly subjected to mass killings without global accountability.

He concluded by praising the resilience of Kashmiri youth who continue to keep the movement alive and warned that India should never assume it can permanently control Kashmir.

The seminar reiterated the urgent call for international intervention, protection of human rights, and justice for the people of IIOJK, aligning the message with the broader observance of Human Rights Day 2025.