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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s UN envoy on Wednesday urged the United Nations Security Council to swiftly designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a terrorist group, thanking the council for the statement condemning the terrorist acts. The UNSC condemned the &ldquo;heinous and cowardly&rdquo; coordinated terrorist attacks in Pakistan&rsquo;s Balochistan province last week, which left 17 security personnel martyred and 31 civilians dead. Consequently, Pakistani security forces, in counter terrorism operations, eliminated 177 terrorists, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told the National Assembly. While speaking to the council on Wednesday, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, thanked the country&rsquo;s friends and well-wishers across the globe for the outpouring of support and solidarity with Pakistan.&nbsp; &ldquo;We remain resolute in eliminating this externally sponsored scourge from our soil and exposing the sponsors, financiers, aiders, and abettors sitting across our borders,&rdquo; the ambassador said. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Ahmad said that after the Taliban takeover in Kabul, externally sponsored and foreign-funded proxy terrorist groups got a new lease of life. &ldquo;Operating with virtual impunity from Afghan soil and with the active support of our eastern neighbour, these groups are responsible for heinous terrorist attacks inside Pakistan,&rdquo; the ambassador said, referring to the attacks in multiple locations in the province. While referring to the crimes in Indian occupied Kashmir, the ambassador said there must be &ldquo;zero tolerance for state terrorism,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;repression cannot be masked as counterterrorism.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

Security

Ambassador thanks country’s friends and well-wishers across the globe for the outpouring of support and solidarity with Pakistan, adds there must be “zero tolerance for state terrorism.”

Pakistan urges UN to designate Balochistan Liberation Army terrorist group

ISLAMABAD: Srinagar&rsquo;s historic Jama Masjid in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was closed on Tuesday evening, preventing congregational prayers on Shab‑e‑Barat, a night of deep spiritual significance for Muslims, according to Indian media.&nbsp;The decision by Indian&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/closure-of-medical-college-has-affected-students-future-iiojk-cm" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">authorities</a>&nbsp;left worshippers dismayed and the mosque&rsquo;s custodians frustrated, as the Night of Forgiveness marks the 15th night of Sha&rsquo;ban and is traditionally observed with night‑long prayers. According to the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, officials accompanied by police arrived earlier in the day to announce that congregational Isha prayers and the special night vigil would not be permitted.&nbsp; The managing body was instructed to lock the mosque&rsquo;s gates immediately, and armed police were deployed around the mosque to prevent people from gathering.&nbsp;Interference in religious rights&nbsp;The Auqaf said the directive came shortly after Asr prayers, with police insisting the mosque remain closed throughout the night despite preparations for the observance.&nbsp; The organization expressed regret over the disruption of another major religious occasion and noted that its head, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq, was under house arrest.&nbsp; The statement said repeated restrictions since 2019 amount to interference in the community&rsquo;s religious rights. Mirwaiz Farooq,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/the-indian-peace-bond-gag-order-how-kashmiri-reporters-are-being-silenced-without-an-fir" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kashmir&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;chief Muslim cleric, posted on social media that while mosques across Kashmir were illuminated for Shab‑e‑Barat, Jama Masjid remained closed under surveillance.&nbsp;Preventing peaceful religious assemblies&nbsp;He described the closure as part of a long pattern of curbs on religious gatherings and questioned the official narrative of &ldquo;normalcy.&rdquo; The Anjuman Auqaf condemned the authorities&rsquo; approach and urged reconsideration of policies that prevent peaceful religious assemblies.&nbsp; Officials provided no specific explanation for the closure, describing it only as a &ldquo;preventive&rdquo; or &ldquo;precautionary&rdquo; measure.&nbsp; An anonymous police officer said it was intended to avert potential law‑and‑order issues, but did not clarify how prayers inside the mosque could pose a risk, Indian media reported.

India

The managing body was instructed to lock the mosque’s gates, and armed police were deployed around the mosque to prevent people from gathering.

Closure of Srinagar’s Jama Masjid on Shab‑e‑Barat draws criticism

ISLAMABAD: A recently published editorial in The Hindu notes that Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in the Board of Peace (BoP) is a potential concern for India, particularly if the BoP were to expand its mandate to include other disputes, such as Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;The editorial states: &ldquo;For India, Pakistan&rsquo;s decision to join the board is a red-flag, particularly if Mr. Trump decides to include the Kashmir dispute to peace plans the BoP will seek to resolve.&rdquo;&nbsp;India skipped the announcement of the US President Donald Trump-led BoP charter at Davos, although the government is reported to still be deliberating over an invitation extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;While around 20 countries have joined the BoP, India is continuing to deliberate over its participation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The editorial highlights concerns over the board&rsquo;s structure and functioning, which suggest a wider mandate for future conflict-resolution efforts, the editorial said.&nbsp; &#39;In conjunction&#39; with UN Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/board-of-peace-to-work-with-un-for-global-peace-efforts-trump" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">signed the charter</a>&nbsp;for the BoP at the ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, establishing an international body to resolve conflicts that he pledged would work &quot;in conjunction&quot; with the United Nations.&nbsp;The signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum formalized the organization, with roughly 35 countries committing to join.&nbsp;&nbsp;During his speech, Trump characterized the day as &quot;very exciting&quot; and &quot;long in the making.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;He stated that the world is &quot;richer, safer, and much more peaceful&quot; than a year ago, claiming credit for &quot;settling eight wars.&quot;

An editorial by The Hindu states: ‘For India, Pakistan’s decision to join the board is a red-flag, particularly if Mr. Trump decides to include the Kashmir dispute to peace plans the BoP will seek to resolve.’

Pakistan joining Board of Peace raises occupied Kashmir alarm for India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan at the United Nations on Tuesday said that &ldquo;acrobatics with words will not legitimize&rdquo; India&rsquo;s illegal occupation of Kashmir, and warned that India was &ldquo;deliberately weaponizing water.&rdquo;&nbsp; First Secretary Zulfiqar Ali from Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said that the assertion that Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir was an &ldquo;integral part of India does not stand the test of history, geography, justice, fairness, and most significantly, international law.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Acrobatics with words will not legitimize India&rsquo;s illegal occupation of Kashmir, nor could the marginalization of Indian minorities do it any good,&rdquo; Ali said while speaking during the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity meeting.&nbsp; Pakistan will continue to extend &ldquo;political and moral support to the freedom struggle of Kashmiri people,&rdquo; the first secretary said, adding that the country would call for &ldquo;holding a UN-supervised plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, as per UNSC resolutions, and the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.&rdquo; Ali also urged the international community to &ldquo;keep a close watch&rdquo; on human rights violations against minorities in India, lest our collective failure to do so might sleepwalk us to another great tragedy.&rdquo;&nbsp; India&#39;s abeyance of Indus Water TreatyIn a separate statement given at the Global Water Bankruptcy Policy Roundtable at the UN, Pakistani Ambassador Usman Jadoon said since India&rsquo;s abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty in April last year, the neighbor has carried out &ldquo;material breaches; including unannounced disruptions of downstream flows and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indias-dulhasti-stageii-project-underscores-strain-on-indus-waters-treaty-report-says" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">withholding of hydrological information</a>, creating an unprecedented crisis for water security and for regional stability.&quot; &ldquo;This is not nature&#39;s doing. This is a nation state deliberately <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-raises-alarm-over-indias-violations-of-indus-waters-treaty" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">weaponizing water</a>,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s acting permanent representative to the UN said. The ambassador said that for more than six decades, the treaty &ldquo;has provided a time-tested framework for equitable and predictable management of the waters of the Indus River basin.&rdquo; &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s position is unequivocal; the treaty remains legally intact and permits <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/clarification-sought-from-india-over-abrupt-variation-in-chenab-water-flows-pakistan-fo-spox" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">no unilateral suspension</a> or modification,&rdquo; he added. Ambassador Jadoon said Pakistan believed that as we move toward the UN&rsquo;s water conference this year, the process must acknowledge water insecurity as a systemic global risk. He added that cooperation and respect for international water law must be placed at the center of shared water governance, ensuring that commitments translate into real protection for vulnerable downstream communities.

First Secretary Zulfiqar Ali says, 'Acrobatics with words will not legitimize India’s illegal occupation of Kashmir'; Ambassador Jadoon says India has carried out material breaches of Indus Water Treaty.

Pakistan calls out India's illegal occupation of Kashmir at the UN 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that&nbsp;Taiwan is an &quot;inalienable part of China&#39;s territory.&quot;&nbsp; Speaking at the weekly press briefing in the capital, the FO spokesperson cited a joint communiqu&eacute; from the seventh round of Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue held January 4 in Beijing. &quot;Pakistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to One-China principle and reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China&#39;s territory,&quot; Andrabi said. Pakistan also supports China&#39;s efforts toward national reunification on issues concerning Xinjiang, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and the South China Sea. Backs counterterrorism efforts The FO spokesperson revealed that China pledged steadfast support for Pakistan&#39;s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.&nbsp; Beijing praised Pakistan&#39;s counterterrorism measures and recognized &quot;the significant contribution and huge sacrifices that Pakistan has made in combating terrorism over many years.&quot; On Kashmir, China said the dispute &quot;is a leftover from the history and should be properly and peacefully resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and bilateral agreements.&quot; Economic corridor expansion Both countries agreed to build on the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of the Belt and Road Initiative project. They will align development plans across defense, security, economy, trade, investment, and cultural exchange. The two sides agreed to oppose unilateral actions and talked about the need to maintain peace and stability in South Asia through dialogue and consultations. Afghanistan security concerns Andrabi stated that Pakistan and China agreed for &quot;more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organization based in Afghanistan which continue to pose serious threats to regional peace and global security.&quot; They agreed to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan territory for attacks against other countries. Both nations will continue cooperation through the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral foreign ministers&#39; dialogue and the China-Bangladesh-Pakistan cooperation mechanism. Kashmir self-determination day Pakistan observed Right to Self-Determination Day for Jammu and Kashmir on January 5, marking the 1949 UN Security Council resolution that enshrined the right of Kashmiris to determine their future through a UN-supervised plebiscite. &quot;The Kashmiri people have been denied this right by India for over decades,&quot; Andrabi said. &quot;The illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir by India stands as a stark tragedy of our time.&quot; Andrabi said thousands of Kashmiri leaders and civil society members remain imprisoned, including Musarrat Alam, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Asiya Andrabi and Dr Qasim Fakhto. He said Yasin Malik was convicted after &quot;a sham trial,&quot; while journalist Irfan Mehraj is jailed for reprisals by Indian authorities. Pakistan condemned India&#39;s August 5, 2019, actions as &quot;a blatant attempt to consolidate the illegal occupation through demographic engineering&quot; that violates international law. &quot;Pakistan will continue to extend its unwavering moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for the right to self-determination,&quot; Andrabi said. Regional diplomacy The FO spokesperson stated that the country&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar&nbsp;held phone calls with foreign ministers from Myanmar, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates this week. The talks covered bilateral relations and regional issues, including developments in Gaza, Somalia, and Yemen. The foreign minister spoke twice with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, welcoming Saudi Arabia&#39;s statement on Yemen. Dar stated that regional parties &quot;must avoid any escalatory move&quot; and resolve issues through dialogue. Andrabi also mentioned Azerbaijan&#39;s Economy Minister Mikhail Jabarov discussing a $2 billion investment in Pakistan with Dar. Both sides agreed to finalize mechanisms for Azerbaijani investment in identified sectors of Pakistan&#39;s economy.

Politics

Pakistan’s weekly briefing highlights China ties and calls for action against terrorism based in Afghanistan.

Pakistan backs One-China policy, calls Taiwan part of Chinese territory: FO

ISLAMABAD: Thousands of civilians in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have been left permanently disabled due to the systematic use of violence by Indian security forces, including pellet guns, torture, landmines, and other forceful measures, according to a report. Released on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a Kashmir Media Service report warns that more than 7,000 people have suffered pellet injuries since 2016, with over 200 losing their eyesight. Hospitals in Srinagar recorded 777 pellet-related ocular injuries in just four months: doctors at a local hospital treated more than 1,000 pellet victims in the two years after the 2016 uprising. Human Rights Watch has confirmed that 139 people were fully or partially blinded, while 1,459 others sustained severe eye injuries requiring multiple surgeries. The report says Indian forces, including the army, paramilitary units, police, and Special Operations Groups, have used pellet shotguns, bullets, crowd-control shells, and tear gas not only during protests but also in residential areas, targeting bystanders, schoolchildren, and women. Victims frequently suffer shattered bones, damaged organs, and lifelong disabilities. It also documents brutal torture methods in interrogation centers, including electric shocks, severe beatings, crushing of leg muscles with wooden rollers, burning with heated metal, and hanging detainees upside down. Many of those tortured have been left permanently crippled or psychologically scarred. The report says the danger extends beyond direct violence. Landmines, unexploded ordnance, and booby traps have killed or disabled thousands across districts such as Poonch, Rajouri, and Budgam since 1947. In Tosa Maidan, a former Indian army artillery range, at least 150 people were disabled and 75 killed, with locals claiming the real figures are much higher. Medical evidence cited by the Kashmir Media Services report shows the conflict has created a mental health emergency. A study by the Government Medical College Srinagar found that pellet victims suffer from high levels of major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, anxiety, and substance abuse, leaving many unable to reintegrate into everyday life. The report highlights the emotional trauma through individual stories, including that of photojournalist Zuhaib Maqbool, who was struck by pellets in 2016 while covering a protest. He has undergone multiple surgeries but continues to live with severe vision impairment and chronic pain. The Kashmir Media Services report&nbsp;concludes that disabled individuals in the region face &ldquo;double discrimination,&rdquo; first from their injuries, and then from the challenges of surviving in a heavily militarized, conflict-affected territory with limited access to rehabilitation, education, or employment. The report urges the international community, human rights bodies, and global civil society to take urgent notice of what it calls a systematic pattern of violence aimed at crippling an entire generation of Kashmiris.

Pellet guns violence in Indian occupied Kashmir

Released on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a Kashmir Media Service report warns that more than 7,000 people have suffered pellet injuries since 2016, with over 200 losing their eyesight.


India using violence to systematically cripple Kashmiris: report

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s National Intelligence Agency &ldquo;conducted searches&rdquo; in Muslim-majority Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Uttar Pradesh as part of its investigations in the Nov. 10 Delhi blast case.&nbsp; On Nov. 20, the NIA announced the arrest of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indias-nia-arrests-four-more-muslims-in-delhi-blast-case" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">four more Muslims,</a>&nbsp;taking the total to six. According to a press release shared on the social media platform X on Dec. 1, the NIA claimed, &ldquo;Various digital devices and other incriminating materials were seized during the searches conducted at the premises of several accused and suspects in the two states.&rdquo; &ldquo;A total of eight locations were searched in the districts of Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and Awantipora of J&amp;K, and one location in Lucknow (UP),&rdquo; the statement said. &lsquo;Extensive searches&rsquo;&nbsp;According to the press release, the &ldquo;NIA had earlier, on 26th and 27th November, conducted extensive searches at the premises of the prime accused, Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganie and Dr Shaheen Saeed, in the Al Falah University complex and other places in Faridabad (Haryana).&rdquo; The NIA claims, &ldquo;A huge quantity of cash, foreign currency, gold and other incriminating materials were seized during those searches, and the same are being minutely examined to unravel the conspiracy that culminated in the bombing.&rdquo; The statement said that the &ldquo;agency has arrested 07 key accused so far in the case RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI. NIA teams are questioning the arrested accused while continuing to pursue various leads in connection with the November 10 blast outside the Red Fort in Delhi.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1995535438434701753&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=f1b14f490988b007a8f6444aaafb01ccc39804b2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Six Muslims under arrest&nbsp;The NIA has arrested six Muslims in the Nov. 10 Delhi blast case, according to an agency&rsquo;s Nov. 20 post on X. The four accused taken into custody by NIA were identified as Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai of Pulwama, Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather of Anantnag, Dr Shaheen Saeed of Lucknow, and Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay of Shopian, said the press release issued by the NIA. The blast in the Indian capital killed at least eight people, and 19 others were injured when flames ripped through several vehicles, according to AFP. &ldquo;They had all played a key role in the terror attack that killed several innocent persons and left many others injured, as per NIA investigations,&rdquo; the NIA statement alleged. NIA had earlier arrested two other Muslim accused, Amir Rashid Ali and Jasir Bilal Wani. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991451038604489098&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=f1b14f490988b007a8f6444aaafb01ccc39804b2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Muslim doctor&rsquo;s picture&nbsp;Earlier, an Indian news channel, News9 Live, had to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-media-apologizes-for-portraying-muslim-doctor-as-suspect-in-delhi-blast" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">apologize</a>&nbsp;for wrongfully releasing a Muslim Kerala doctor&rsquo;s picture as a suspect in the Nov. 10 Delhi blast. An Indian fact-checking website, Alt News, reported that various Indian media outlets misidentified the accused, Dr Mohammad Arif, and shared the image of his namesake, who had no connection with the incident. Pakistan MoFA&rsquo;s statementOn media queries regarding the wave of arbitrary arrests and detention of Kashmiri people from IIOJK after the bomb blast incident in New Delhi and on the human rights situation in IIOJK, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Nov. 21, said that&nbsp;Pakistan remains gravely concerned about the persistent and severe human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. &ldquo;The prevailing policies, marked by widespread detentions, arbitrary arrests, and extensive restrictions on fundamental freedoms, continue to amount to collective punishment of the occupied Kashmiri population,&rdquo; the statement said. &lsquo;Profiling Kashmiri youth&rsquo;Reports of profiling Kashmiri youth on the basis of their identity and faith further heighten these concerns, it said. The statement further said, &ldquo;Thousands of Kashmiri youth remain missing, while many genuine political representatives of the Kashmiri people remain in detention.&rdquo; &ldquo;Pakistan calls upon the international community, including the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to take full cognizance of the grave human rights situation in IIOJK,&rdquo; it urged.

Intelligence agency says raids part of its investigations; six persons arrested so far, all Muslims; Pakistan earlier expressed its concerns over profiling Kashmiri youth based on their identity and faith. 

Delhi blast case: Raids conducted across Indian Occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Indian authorities raided the offices of the local news outlet Kashmir Times in Jammu, Indian-occupied Kashmir, on Thursday, seizing documents and digital equipment in an operation the newspaper describes as an attempt to silence critical journalism.&nbsp;The 70-year-old newspaper said the raid is the latest in a series of actions targeting media outlets operating in the heavily militarized region, where press freedoms have come under increasing scrutiny.&nbsp;Officials from the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police told local news outlets they discovered ammunition during the raid, including AK-47 cartridges, pistol rounds, and hand grenade pins.&nbsp;These claims were reported by the Press Trust of India, citing unnamed police officials.&nbsp;While the SIA has not issued an official statement, it has indicated that platforms cannot be allowed to disseminate content deemed &ldquo;seditious&rdquo; or &ldquo;anti-national.&rdquo;&nbsp;Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin disputed the official account, stating the office has been largely dormant for years and stores only historical records. Kashmir Times rejected both the justification for the raid and the alleged discoveries.&nbsp;International press freedom advocates expressed alarm.&nbsp;Kunal Majumder, Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists&rsquo; Asia-Pacific programs, told the press, &ldquo;Authorities must clearly explain the legal basis for this action and ensure that any investigation is conducted with transparency and full respect for due process.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;News outlets should not face punitive action simply for doing their journalistic work.&rdquo;&nbsp;The CPJ called on Indian authorities to return the seized materials and refrain from filing criminal charges against journalists based on reporting.&nbsp;In a statement, Kashmir Times described the raid as part of a coordinated campaign against the publication. Officials provided no advance notice or formal documentation of their actions.&nbsp;The newspaper&rsquo;s physical offices have been closed for four years, with operations moving entirely online after the print edition ceased in 2021-2022, citing sustained government pressure and financial difficulties.&nbsp;The outlet rejected the authorities&rsquo; allegations as fabricated, emphasizing that reporting on government actions fulfills a democratic function rather than constituting hostility toward the state. &ldquo;A robust, questioning press is essential to a healthy democracy,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Founded in 1954, Kashmir Times said its investigative work and coverage of underrepresented communities serve the public interest.&nbsp;Despite mounting pressure, the publication pledged to maintain editorial independence. &ldquo;The accusations leveled against us are designed to intimidate, to delegitimize, and ultimately to silence. We will not be silenced,&rdquo; the statement concluded.

The 70-year-old Kashmir Times says the raid continues a pattern of targeting media in heavily militarized Kashmir, where press freedoms face growing restrictions and scrutiny.

Indian authorities raid Kashmir Times offices amid press freedom concerns

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: In the aftermath of the recent blast in New Delhi, human rights activists and civil society members warn that Kashmiris across India are encountering heightened scrutiny, police brutality, and social hostility, despite the absence of a completed investigation into the attack.&nbsp;The blanket suspicion, they argue, represents a deepening cycle of profiling that long predates the explosion but has intensified sharply since. John Dayal, a senior human rights advocate and long-time commentator on India&rsquo;s minority rights landscape, said while speaking to Pakistan TV, that the repercussions have been immediate and unsettling.&nbsp; He said the implications for the people in Kashmir were worrisome. &ldquo;Two things worry me. One is the moment such things happen. There is a spurt in Islamophobia in the country, which is already rampant,&rdquo; Dayal noted. &ldquo;Young people, doctors, their families in the Valley&mdash;they get investigated, they get picked up by the police, some houses have been demolished. This has caused great worry, and it has been condemned by many like me in civil society.&rdquo; According to Dayal, the response to the blast has extended beyond the capital, affecting Kashmiri students and workers in multiple states.&nbsp; Rights groups report evictions, police questioning, and growing reluctance among landlords and employers to engage with Kashmiri applicants. Activists say the measures amount to collective punishment, applied without clarity on whether any Kashmiri individual had a definitive link to the Delhi attack. Zafar Qureshi, another prominent human rights advocate focused on Kashmir, described the pattern as familiar and politically charged. He argues that Kashmiris are routinely thrust into the centre of national security narratives, especially around election periods.&nbsp; &ldquo;Every time there&rsquo;s an election, some sort of incident happens somewhere,&rdquo; he said, alleging that incomplete information and premature speculation often shape public perception before facts emerge. He emphasised that the ongoing investigation into the blast has yet to offer conclusive findings.&nbsp; &ldquo;What we do hear from the media is that some Kashmiris were suspected. But who were the others? Nobody has mentioned them.&rdquo; Qureshi warned that this environment has given rise to new labels&mdash;such as &ldquo;white-collar terrorists&rdquo;&mdash;that stigmatise educated Kashmiri youth. &ldquo;India&rsquo;s mainland was the only space where they could go for education after passports were impounded and the media gagged. Now that space, too, is being taken away,&rdquo; he said. He added that while some Indians have questioned the narrative, hostility is increasingly diffused through communities themselves. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s seeping into the fabric of society,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Regular people are believing this narrative and acting on it.&rdquo;

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Civil society voices warn of rising hostility and profiling, saying unproven allegations are fueling fear and endangering Kashmiri students and professionals.


'Collective punishment': Kashmiris branded, harassed and hunted across India in Delhi blast’s aftermath  

ISLAMABAD: On the anniversary of the massacre of Kashmiris by Indian forces, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement on Thursday, said the events of November 6, 1947, remain a painful memory for Kashmiris decades later.&nbsp; PM Sharif said Kashmiris worldwide commemorate the date each year in condemnation of the &quot;first massive genocide&quot; of Kashmiris by Indian armed forces. &quot;In the history of Jammu and Kashmir, November 6, 1947, is marked as the darkest day and is etched in the minds of Kashmiri people as a fresh wound even after decades,&quot; Sharif said. &quot;Each year, Kashmiris across the world commemorate it in condemnation as the &#39;first massive genocide&#39; of the Kashmiris by brutal Indian armed forces.&quot; The prime minister said Indian forces and extremists killed 237,000 Kashmiris in November 1947 in an attempt to change the demographic and religious makeup of the region&#39;s population. He said efforts to alter the Muslim majority in Kashmir continue today, citing actions taken on August 5, 2019, as an extension of the same pattern. &quot;In November 1947, Indian forces and extremists brutally tortured and massacred thousands (237,000) of Kashmiris in a genocidal attempt to change the demographic and religious majority of the Kashmiri population,&quot; he said. &quot;Such an illegal and unilateral attempt by Indian forces to artificially alter the demographic majority of Muslims in Kashmir continues to date.&quot; The PM paid tribute to Kashmiris who died in the struggle for freedom.&nbsp; &quot;Pakistan pays homage to the thousands of Kashmiri martyrs, especially of November 1947, who sacrificed their lives in this long struggle for freedom,&quot; Sharif said. &quot;In utter denial of United Nations Security Council resolutions and in violation of international law, India has held illegal usurpation and illegitimate occupation of Kashmir.&quot; He said Pakistan and others who support human rights condemn India in the strongest terms, adding that &quot;India is guilty of protracted violation of fundamental human rights, right to self-determination and international law.&quot; The prime minister described the day as representing the courage and determination of people in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to secure their right to freedom. He said generations of Kashmiris have resisted Indian forces. &quot;This day incarnates the exceptional courage and unwavering determination of the people of IIOJK to secure their inalienable right to freedom,&quot; he said. &quot;This day also testifies that generations of Kashmiris valiantly challenged Indian forces and never succumbed to Indian brutalities and atrocities.&quot; PM Sharif said Pakistan&#39;s government and people pay tribute to the sacrifices of Kashmiris and extend support to the people in the disputed region. &quot;Today, the government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan pay heartfelt tribute to the valued sacrifices of Kashmiri brothers and sisters,&quot; he said. &quot;Pakistan extends unequivocal support to the oppressed people of IIOJK.&quot; He said Pakistan will continue to raise the Kashmir issue on the global diplomatic stage and provide political, diplomatic, and moral support to Kashmiris. &quot;Pakistan also reiterates its commitment at the global diplomatic front that Pakistan will continue to ardently raise the issue of Kashmir and will continue to extend its political, diplomatic, and moral support to the people of Kashmir,&quot; he said. The prime minister called on the international community to voice concerns about the continued human rights violations by India in the region. He said Pakistan maintains that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved according to UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiris. &quot;The international community must emphatically voice its concerns about the continued violation of human rights and international law by India in IIOJK,&quot; he said. &quot;At every international diplomatic forum, Pakistan has this principled position that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved in line with UNSC resolutions and as per the just aspirations of Kashmiris.&quot;

The anniversary marks the massacre of Kashmiris by Indian forces on November 6, 1947.

Articles tagged with "Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)"