KEY POINTS
- Cedric Gerbehaye’s eight-year photographic project documents life across all parts of Jammu and Kashmir, from pellet gun victims to LoC communities.
- Seven-member EU delegation will join the author for launch events across Islamabad, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and Lahore.
- Organisers state the book and exhibitions aim to globally highlight the Kashmir issue’s human dimension and the right to self-determination.
- Kashmir Council EU chairman, Ali Raza Syed condemned Indian policies and demand the release of detained leader Yasin Malik.
ISLAMABAD: A photographic book on Jammu and Kashmir by Brussels-based Belgian photojournalist Cedric Gerbehaye, titled Kashmir: Wait and See, will be launched in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir on January 26, accompanied by a series of exhibitions organised by the Kashmir Council Europe.
A seven-member European delegation will accompany the author to the series of high-profile events.
Organised by the Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU), the “Pakistan Photo Festival” will kick off with a three-day exhibition and book launch at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in Islamabad from January 26 to 28, 2026.
Decade-long project comes to the fore
The book is the culmination of eight years of dedicated work by Gerbehaye, offering a stark, human-centric documentary of life across the divided region.
It features compelling imagery and narratives from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, ranging from victims of pellet guns to communities living along the volatile Line of Control.
Chairman of Kashmir Council Europe (KC-EU), Ali Raza Syed, currently in Pakistan to oversee final arrangements, while talking to WE News English highlighted the book’s significance.
“This impactful pictorial book is an important documentary record about the lives, struggles, resilience, and culture of the Kashmiri people,” he stated.
The book previously garnered international attention at the prestigious ‘Visa pour l’Image’ photojournalism festival in Perpignan, France, last year.
Nationwide itinerary for exhibitions and launches
Following the Islamabad premiere, the exhibition and launch ceremonies will tour key cities:
Muzaffarabad (Capital of Azad Kashmir): January 29-31
Mirpur (Azad Kashmir): February 1-2
Lahore (Capital of Punjab): February 5-8
KC-EU, which played a pivotal role in facilitating the project from inception, aims to use the events to amplify the human dimension of the Kashmir issue on the global stage.
Focus on self-determination and human rights
Ali Raza Syed framed the launch as a cornerstone of KC-EU’s ongoing advocacy
. “The objective is to bring the human rights of Kashmiris to the forefront to inform and influence international public circles and policymakers,” he said.
He emphasised that the book underscores the Kashmiri people’s fundamental right to self-determination, as outlined in UN Security Council resolutions.
Syed confirmed that invitations have been extended to Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gillani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, and Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, alongside diplomats, intellectuals, and journalists.
Strong condemnation of Indian policies
Utilising the platform, Syed issued a strong condemnation of India’s actions in the region.
He denounced the charges against imprisoned Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik as “baseless,” demanding his immediate release and labelling the case an attempt to “suppress the effective political voice of Kashmiris.”
He categorically rejected Indian claims of peace in the region, stating, “In reality, by claiming peace in occupied Kashmir, India wants to divert attention from its atrocities.”
Syed called upon the international community, particularly major powers, to intervene and facilitate a just and peaceful resolution to the longstanding dispute.
The launch of “Kashmir: Wait and See” is expected to reignite diplomatic and public discourse on Kashmir, presenting a visual testimony aimed at bridging the gap between policy and the lived reality on the ground.
