KIIR urges UN to address rising violence, discrimination against Kashmiri Muslims following Pahalgam Attack:

English , Kashmir - آزاد جموں کشمیر , / Saturday, April 26th, 2025

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Altaf Hamid Rao.

MIRPUR (AJK): April 26: World-fame Kashmiri rights outfit – Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Saturday called upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to urgently address the rising violence and discrimination faced by Kashmiri Muslims in India after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, including several tourists.

In a letter to the UNO, the KIIR chairman Altaf Hussain Wani emphasized that the attack was widely condemned by all segments of Kashmiri society—political and religious leaders alike. However, he expressed concern that the tragedy is now being misused to incite Islamophobia and targeted hostility against Kashmiris throughout India, media wing of the KIIR said in a statement released to the media on Saturday.

Citing media reports, Wani highlighted a surge in inflammatory rhetoric online, with social media users calling for “Israel-like retaliation” and even advocating for “ethnic cleansing” of Kashmiri Muslims, the statement said continuing “This dangerous rhetoric seeks to hold an entire community responsible for the actions of a few unknown individuals. It has fostered a toxic digital climate that is spilling over into real-world violence and discrimination,” the letter stated.

The letter detailed troubling incidents involving Kashmiri students, who have faced harassment, physical assault, and threats of expulsion from institutions in cities such as Dehradun, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh. He also noted that landlords were evicting Kashmiri tenants, while employees and business owners from the region were being subjected to intimidation and hostility.

Referencing threats from the Hindu Raksha Dal, a far-right group, Wani said the organization has openly demanded the immediate expulsion of Kashmiri Muslims from Uttarakhand. He further criticized the Indian media for spreading war hysteria, often ignoring the historical context of the region and the longstanding hospitality Kashmiris have shown to tourists—even amid conflict.

Wani particularly noted the sacrifice of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a Kashmiri horseman who lost his life while trying to stop the attackers and protect tourists during the Pahalgam incident—an act that went largely unrecognized by Indian media.

“These attacks are not isolated incidents,” he said. “They reflect a disturbing trend of collective punishment based on ethnic and religious identity. This constitutes a clear violation of basic human rights, including the rights to safety, security, and non-discrimination.”

Wani urged the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to pressure the Indian government to protect Kashmiri citizens, ensure accountability for those inciting violence, and counter growing hate speech against the community.

Reiterating the international community’s responsibility, he called for an immediate investigation into reports of violence and discrimination against Kashmiri Muslims, to prevent further escalation and safeguard their fundamental rights.