Bhat Urges Global Action on Kashmiri Women’s Abuse in IIOJK

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On Saturday, Altaf Ahmed Bhat, chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Salvation Movement (JKSM) and a leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), issued a solemn appeal demanding urgent global intervention to halt human rights abuses against women in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). His plea, made on International Women’s Day, was reported by The Express Tribune today.

Bhat highlighted that since January 1989, Indian security forces have allegedly been responsible for the deaths of 22,981 women. He also brought attention to the existence of approximately 2,500 “half-widows” women whose husbands have disappeared under enforced circumstances. Further, he asserted that 11,265 women have suffered sexual violence during the same period. He emphasized that these figures point to a deeply alarming pattern of gender-targeted oppression in the region.

Citing the plight of female political activists, Bhat condemned the continued detention of prominent Hurriyat figures including Syeda Aasiya Andrabi, Fehmeeda Sofi, and Naheeda Nasreenwho remain imprisoned under laws like the Public Safety Act for their peaceful political advocacy. “These women are not criminals but voices of resistance,” he declared, framing their incarceration as emblematic of a broader suppression of dissent. ([Express Tribune])

In his address, Bhat called on international bodies, human rights organizations, and world leaders to step in assertively. He urged them to hold India accountable, ensure justice for the victims, and end the ongoing abuse of Kashmiri women. His statement was a clarion call for global attention to a crisis that, he affirmed, has persisted unchecked for decades.

By spotlighting the scale and severity of violence, Altaf Ahmed Bhat’s appeal seeks to galvanize international action, ranging from formal inquiries to humanitarian support. It underscores a growing demand to recognize and address the suffering of Kashmiri women caught in the crossfire of geopolitical conflict.

As the global community observes International Women’s Day, Bhat’s message serves as a grim reminder that gender-based abuse remains a critical human rights concern in conflict zones. His appeal urges that women’s safety and dignity must not be sidelined in negotiations and that their suffering warrants immediate and meaningful global attention.