Imagine spending years studying tirelessly, pouring your heart and soul into achieving your dream of becoming a doctor. You've sacrificed countless hours, sleepless nights, and time away from loved ones, all with the goal of serving humanity and making a difference. You've earned top grades, completed your MBBS degree from a reputable college, and are now ready to take the next step. But then, the unthinkable happens. You're told that despite all your hard work, you won't be allowed to practice medicine.
The frustration, anxiety, and anger that come with this news are palpable. As Nazia Akhter, a young medical graduate from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), told The Hindu, “Every time I see the stethoscope, which I bought full of dreams, I get anxious and angry. I hope this ends soon.”
For 256 medical graduates from IIOJK, this nightmare is a harsh reality. Despite completing their MBBS degrees from registered colleges in Pakistan between 2014 and 2018, they're still waiting for security clearance from the Indian government, a necessary step to practice medicine in India and IIOJK. The delay has left them in limbo, their futures uncertain.
But that's not all – their families back home in IIOJK are also facing the wrath of the Indian government, with properties being confiscated and families being forced to suffer. The Indian government's actions, under the guise of maintaining law and order, have led to widespread human rights violations, with the IIOJK people paying the price.
Hard work in vain
For Khalida Jan, 26, pursuing her MBBS degree was a daunting task. “Pursuing the MBBS course as a student was as tough as anywhere in the world. I would study 10-14 hours a day. I belong to a family of doctors. I was under pressure to prove my worth,” a report by the Hindu quoted her as saying. Despite the challenges, Khalida and 255 other medical graduates from IIOJK completed their degrees from registered colleges in Pakistan between 2014 and 2018.
However, their hard work and dedication seem to have been in vain. The Indian government's delay in granting them security clearance has left them unable to practice medicine in India. The clearance process, which began in 2014, is still ongoing, with no clear end in sight.
The students are frustrated and disappointed by the delay. Ishrat Jan, 27, who is keeping her hopes alive to practice medicine again was quoted by The Hindu as saying: “I do small jobs at the clinic. However, I visit different hospitals to observe what medicines are prescribed, so that I stay in touch with the profession. This way, I keep my hopes alive to be able to wear the white coat again, once the security clearance comes.”
The delay has not only affected the students' careers but also their personal lives. Mehak Jabeen, 26, another affected student, told The Hindu, that, “No one wants to be associated with me. I was shooed away by a prospective groom’s parents. They said they didn’t want any trouble. Spiteful relatives remark on our situation too. It’s a living hell.”
The Indian government's actions have been criticised by human rights activists and education experts. The government's claim that the delay is necessary to ensure the students do not have any anti-nationalist connections has been met with skepticism. Jabeen urged the government to speed up the security clearance process, saying, “There is not a single instance where a girl student was engaged in any illegal activity.”
The students and their families have written to the Indian government, pleading for a speedy resolution to the issue. In a joint letter, the parents of the affected students told The Hindu, that, “Scores of medical/dental graduates admitted to different colleges in Pakistan prior to December 2018 are facing immense trauma in absence of security clearance. Professional careers are at peril besides mental wellbeing and social standing.”
As the delay continues, the students' futures remain uncertain. But this is not an isolated incident. The struggle for security clearance is just one aspect of a larger issue – the education apartheid faced by IIOJK students. For decades, IIOJK students have faced systemic barriers, discriminatory policies, and restricted access to quality education.
Education apartheid in IIOJK
Since the 1990s, IIOJK has witnessed periods of unrest, curfews, and militarisation, resulting in frequent school closures and disruptions to the academic calendar. This has led to a systemic neglect of education in the region, with IIOJK students facing significant barriers to accessing quality education. “We were forced to leave Pakistan due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are now struggling to find a way to complete our medical education in India,” said one student, highlighting the challenges faced by IIOJK students in pursuing their educational goals.
The Indian government's policies have further exacerbated the problem. IIOJK students often face difficulties in accessing educational institutions outside the region, with many colleges and universities imposing strict quotas and eligibility criteria. This has led to a sense of isolation and disconnection among IIOJK students, who feel that their opportunities are limited by their geographical location.
Moreover, the Indian government's actions have created an environment of fear and intimidation, where students are forced to live in constant uncertainty. Akhter said, “I fear if I speak on record, it might impact my future and bring trouble to my family.” Her words highlight the sense of vulnerability and fear that many IIOJK students feel when speaking out about their experiences.
Despite these challenges, many IIOJK students have shown remarkable resilience and determination. They have found ways to overcome the systemic barriers, often relying on their own resources and initiatives. For instance, many students have turned to online education platforms, tutoring services, and community-based initiatives to supplement their learning.
However, these efforts are often undermined by the Indian government's policies, which seem designed to restrict the opportunities available to IIOJK students. The government's actions have led to a sense of disillusionment and frustration among IIOJK students, who feel that their futures are being held hostage by politics.
Property seizures
The struggles faced by IIOJK students are not limited to education alone. The Indian government's actions in IIOJK have led to widespread human rights violations, including the confiscation of properties and suppression of dissent.
The Indian government's property attachments in IIOJK have severe implications for the region's socio-political landscape. According to a United Nations report, by confiscating assets and stifling dissent, authorities perpetuate a cycle of oppression and injustice, undermining democratic principles and exacerbating tensions.
The main objective behind these attachments is to force IIOJK people to abandon their demand for freedom from India. This tactic adds to the worsening human rights violations, as Indian troops continue to terrorise the region, altering its demographic nature. Property seizures are a new technique used to control and suppress IIOJK people, in addition to existing methods of torture and terror.
The pain and suffering of the IIOJK people are palpable. Families have been torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and homes reduced to rubble. The once-lively streets of IIOJK are now eerily silent, an evidence to the suffocating grip of oppression.
These actions constitute a clear violation of numerous international conventions and treaties, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Indian government's draconian laws, such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, provide a license for Indian troops to detain, kill, and confiscate properties without trial.
The international community has a responsibility to hold states accountable for human rights violations and disobedience to international law, stresses the chairman of the Institute of Voice of Victims (IOVOV) Altaf Ahmed Bhat. The IOVOV demands immediate intervention from international human rights organisations and the UN to exert pressure on India to respect IIOJK’s rights and grant them self-determination.
The human cost of these policies is evident in the widespread sufferings, humanitarian crises, and insecurity among the local population. Forced displacements, demolitions, and confiscations of property have become commonplace, leaving IIOJK people feeling vulnerable, insecure, and hopeless.
The situation is further complicated by the Indian government's justification of these actions under the guise of maintaining law and order – a rhetoric that rings hollow in the face of mounting evidence of human rights abuses. The international community must take concrete steps to uphold human rights, international law, and provide IIOJK people with their right to self-determination.
As noted by UN, the attachment of properties in IIOJK constitutes a clear violation of numerous international conventions and treaties. The report further emphasises the need for the international community to hold India accountable for its actions and to support the legitimate aspirations of the IIOJK people.
The IIOJK people's cry for freedom, justice, and self-determination echoes through the valleys and mountains of IIOJK. It is a cry that cannot be ignored. Only through these efforts can we hope to bring about a just and lasting resolution to the conflict in IIOJK. The IIOJK people's legitimate aspirations for freedom, justice, and self-determination must be supported, and practices like property attachments must be denounced. The international community must act now to uphold human rights and international law in IIOJK.
Holding India accountable
The story of IIOJK students' struggle for education and self-determination is a poignant reminder of the human cost of oppression. From the difficulties faced by students like Khalida and Ishrat in pursuing their medical education to the widespread human rights violations perpetrated by the Indian government, the situation in IIOJK is a pressing concern that demands international attention.
As we have seen, the Indian government's policies have created a culture of fear and intimidation, where students are forced to live in constant uncertainty. The confiscation of properties, restrictions on movement, and suppression of dissent have all contributed to a situation where IIOJK students are denied their fundamental right to education.
The IIOJK students need people to stand in solidarity with them and support their right to education and self-determination. International community should hold India accountable for its actions in IIOJK and to pressure the government to respect the human rights of IIOJK students.
As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Actions taken should be in a way that the future of IIOJK students depends on their access to this powerful tool, and is not determined by the circumstances of their birth.