Our Correspondent
Mirpur
Panellists at a webinar called on the international community particularly the United Nations to make India accountable for the heinous crimes being committed by its forces against Kashmiris. They condemned the Modi’s regime for unabated and systematic human rights violations in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Webinar titled ‘Half-Widows; a unique phenomenon in Indian Occupied Kashmir’ was organised by Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR).
Moderated by the KIIR, Chairman Altaf Hussain Wani, the webinar was attended by British and European parliamentarians, human rights defenders, former diplomats and experts hailing from different contents. Distinguished panelists of the webinar including Barrister Margaret Owen, Julie Ward Raja Afzal Khan member British Parliament, Dr. Shahid Amin Malik, Ambassdor Nadeem Malik, Sehar Shah daughter of veteran Hurriyat leader Shabir Ahmed Shah, Duke Salman Ilyas Khan Soth Africa, Prof. Shugafta Ashraf and Shani Hamid highlighted the plight and unending miseries of the half-widows who despite the passage of several years were still wandering from pillar to post to trace the whereabouts of their missing husbands.
Wani gave a detailed account of the problem faced by the families of victims of enforced disappearances in Indian occupied Kashmir, especially the Half-Widows whose numbers has swelled to over 5000 during the recent years. Referring to the causes of human rights violations particularly the forced disappearances in the restive region, he said denial of right to self-determination to people of the occupied Kashmir by the Indian state was the main reason behind these heinous crimes being carried out by the Indian occupation forces in Kashmir.
Citing different reports released by the International and local human rights watchdogs he said, ‘These reports vindicate our stance besides reflecting the fast growing realization at global level about the dire human rights situation in Kashmir’. Speakers felt need for sharing knowledge about this issue with international organizations, parliamentarians and other stakeholders to sensitize global community. Speakers also condemned the ongoing spree of custodial killing in the IOK and termed the Modi led government in India as an authoritarian and fascist regime.