Historic protest outside UN headquarters slams Indian human rights abuses in Kashmir

NEW YORK (By Rizwan Abbasi): A historic protest was held outside the United Nations Headquarters during the UN General Assembly session, coinciding with the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar.

The demonstrators, comprising Pakistani and Kashmiri communities alongside human rights activists, raised strong slogans against India’s ongoing oppression in Kashmir.

They condemned the global community’s silence on the issue, emphasizing that the future of Kashmir should be decided by the Kashmiri people themselves.

Prominent Kashmiri leader Ghulam Nabi Fai, head of the World Kashmir Awareness Forum, asserted that resolving the Kashmir dispute by UN resolutions is the fundamental right of Kashmiris.

Moreover, he criticized India for spreading falsehoods at international forums. The protesters demanded immediate action from the UN and the international community to address Indian aggression and ensure the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

The protest highlighted severe human rights violations and atrocities committed in Indian-administered Kashmir. Protesters declared the ongoing Indian military actions in Kashmir as “crimes against humanity” and urged the United Nations to intervene. They expressed anger at the international community’s silence on these atrocities, demanding swift action to bring an end to the violence.

Key figures at the protest included Pir Ali Raza Bukhari, Suwar Khan, and young Kashmiri activist Shoaib Irshad. Women and children participated significantly, carrying banners and placards with slogans like “Free Kashmir” and “Stop Indian Aggression.”

The demonstrators fervently condemned India’s treatment of Kashmiris, calling upon the UN to fulfill its responsibilities in finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.

The Kashmir conflict has a long history, dating back to the partition of India in 1947, with Pakistan and India claiming the region. The dispute has led to several wars and ongoing militancy, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties and human rights abuses.