SRINAGAR:Spokesperson for the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), Advocate Arshad Iqbal, has paid glowing tribute to the martyrs of Jammu who lost their lives in the tragic massacre of November 6, 1947, describing the day as one of the darkest and most painful chapters in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
Advocate Arshad Iqbal said that Muslims in different parts of Jammu were subjected to mass killings, forced displacement and horrific atrocities at the hands of Dogra forces and their armed collaborators. According to historical accounts and reports published in British newspapers, more than 250,000 Muslims were massacred during this tragedy. Some historical estimates put the figure at over 300,000. A report published by the London-based newspaper The Times on August 10, 1948, also referred to the killing of 237,000 Muslims.
The spokesperson observed that following the arrival of Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 1947, the massacre of November 6 and the surrounding days marked one of the most devastating episodes of violence against the Muslim population of Jammu.
He said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir commemorate November 6 every year in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their faith, identity, dignity, freedom and the right to determine their political future. The Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party pays its profound tribute to these martyrs and reiterates its commitment to keeping their sacrifices and the atrocities committed against them alive in the collective memory of the international community.
Advocate Arshad Iqbal said that the Jammu massacre was not merely a tragic event of the past; rather, it represents a painful chapter in an ongoing human tragedy inflicted upon the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Since 1947, the people of the region have continued to face bloodshed, repression, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and grave human rights violations.
He further stated that more than 100,000 people have reportedly been killed in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir over the past three decades, reflecting the magnitude of the human tragedy endured by the Kashmiri people.
He pointed out that this prolonged violence has left thousands of women widowed and thousands of children orphaned, while countless families continue to suffer the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones. These atrocities have inflicted deep wounds on the social, economic and humanitarian fabric of Kashmiri society.
The DFP spokesperson appealed to the international community, the United Nations, international human rights organisations and the global media to undertake an impartial examination of the November 6, 1947 Jammu massacre and other human rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. He urged them to preserve historical facts, ensure accountability and play an effective role in securing justice for the affected families.
He emphasised that, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be allowed to determine their political future through the free and impartial exercise of their right to self-determination. He maintained that a just and lasting resolution of the Kashmir dispute cannot be achieved without respecting the free will and aspirations of its people.
The Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party reiterates that the sacrifices of the martyrs of Jammu will never be forgotten and that their legacy will continue to inspire the struggle for the right to self-determination until the people of Jammu and Kashmir are allowed to exercise this fundamental right.