SRINAGAR: On the occasion of Father’s Day, celebrated worldwide, it is a somber reminder that in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), many fathers have tragically lost their sons at the hands of brutal Indian troops.
Father’s Day, observed globally on the third Sunday in June, honors the important role fathers and fatherly figures play in the lives of their children. However, the ongoing state terrorism by India in IIOJK has left a devastating impact, resulting in 107,903 children being orphaned and 22,960 women widowed in the region.
Over the past 34 years, the unending cycle of violence has inflicted immense suffering on the people of IIOJK. In particular, hundreds of youths have lost or severely damaged their eyesight due to the use of lethal pellets by Indian troops and paramilitary forces during peaceful protests since 2010.
Kashmiri Leaders Languishing in Indian Jails
Numerous fathers, including leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), religious scholars, human rights activists, and journalists, such as Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Aasiya Andrabi, Naheeda Nasreen, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, and many others, continue to languish in Indian jails, victims of political vendetta by the Modi regime. Senior APHC leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has remained under house detention in Srinagar since August 2019, symbolizing the continued oppression faced by the people of IIOJK.
Thousands of Kashmiri children are grappling with psychological trauma caused by the illegal detentions of their parents, the ongoing terror imposed by Indian forces through cordon and search operations, and the loss of their fathers to the bullets of Indian troops or while in custody.
The plight of these detainees and their families highlights the urgent need for justice and an end to the human rights violations perpetrated by Indian authorities in IIOJK. The international community is called upon to take notice of this grave situation and work towards a peaceful resolution for the people of the region.
