Indian court declares Kashmiri leader as 'proclaimed offender'

The Indian court under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement JKSM Altaf Ahmed Bhat a Proclaimed Offender (PO).

The NIA court issued a charge sheet against Bhat from Srinagar who has been residing in Pakistan since 1990s. The court accused him of involvement in multiple cases. It also ordered his arrest and production in court authorising Indian police to apprehend him wherever he may be found, including in Pakistan.

In response to the development, Altaf Ahmed Bhat strongly condemned the Indian court's decision.

In a statement, Bhat said, "Kashmiris will not be intimidated by India's nefarious tactics. No amount of oppression or arrests will deter us."

He further criticised the Indian government for exploiting the Pahalgam incident as a pretext to launch Israel-style operations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir IIOJK.

According to Bhat, these operations have led to the mass demolition of homes, the displacement of Kashmiri families, and the expulsion of Kashmiri students from Indian educational institutions.

He highlighted that over 4,000 innocent Kashmiris have been arrested, with many families torn apart mothers separated from sons, wives from husbands and children from parents resulting in what he described as a "heartbreaking humanitarian tragedy unparalleled in the modern world."

Kashmir has become a nuclear flashpoint, pushing both India and Pakistan two nuclear-armed nations to the brink of war, said Bhat.

He called on international organisations and the United Nations to take immediate and meaningful action to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. "Delaying a just resolution to the Kashmir issue could lead to catastrophic consequences for the entire region," he concluded.