PDP, Hurriyat condemns ‘torture’ of civilians in Kishtwar army camp
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in a statement said that they have information that the victims sustained serious injuries and were unable to walk and required assistance to reach a hospital for medical attention
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned the alleged torture of civilians in Kishtwar army camp and demanded accountability from the troopers.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in a statement said that they have information that the victims sustained serious injuries and were unable to walk and required assistance to reach a hospital for medical attention. “The incident has drawn parallels to earlier disturbing events in Bafliaz, Surankote, where similar allegations of human rights violations were reported,” she said
“Allegations of severe torture have emerged from Kishtwar, taking us back to the disturbing events that took place in Bafliaz Surankote earlier this year. Sajad Ahmad, Abdul Kabir, Mushtaq Ahmad and Mehraj-ud-Din, all from Kuath village, were summoned to the army camp for questioning where they were allegedly subjected to extreme physical torture. The victims, left severely injured and unable to walk, had to be carried to the hospital. Urge the UT government to take swift action against those involved to ensure accountability and to prevent such heinous human rights violations from recurring in the future,” Mehbooba wrote on X.
The PDP chief has urged the union territory government to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and hold those responsible to account.
Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz seeks probe into the incident
Hurriyat chairman and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday sought an enquiry into the torture of civilians in Kishtwar.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the disturbing images circulating in the media depicting torture marks on the bodies of civilians have raised significant concerns about human rights violations in the region.
Speaking at the Friday congregation at Jamai Masjid, Srinagar, Mirwaiz expressed sorrow over the incident, highlighting the ongoing issue of impunity and abuse of authority that has plagued the Kashmir conflict for decades. “Perpetrators of such acts are rarely held accountable. We hope that the inquiry ordered by the authorities will lead to justice for the victims.”
Army has also ordered probe into the torture of civilians.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq described the recent directive from a BJP-ruled state mandating that mutawalis (caretakers) seek consent from a state-appointed Waqf head before delivering Friday sermons as a direct attack on the religious rights and freedoms of the Muslim community, asserting that it exceeds the jurisdiction of any Waqf Board. “This directive exposes the true motives behind the Waqf Amendment Bill introduced by the BJP in the Parliament,” he said. “State control over religious rights and affairs is completely unacceptable and will be met with strong opposition from Muslims.” The MMU has formally reached out to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), requesting a meeting to present their concerns regarding these amendments. Despite being a Muslim-majority region, their requests for dialogue have yet to materialize,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that the reports indicating that the Waqf Bill may be presented again in Parliament urged lawmakers to refrain from making hasty decisions that could further infringe upon the rights of the Muslim community. “The MMU remains committed to advocating for the rights and freedoms of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir and will continue to oppose any legislation perceived as an assault on their religious institutions,” he added.
