Srinagar: The dark and tragic chapter of Jammu and Kashmir's history began on October 27, 1947, when Indian troops landed in Srinagar without any legal justification, forcibly occupying the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir against the will and aspirations of its people.
what has followed over the past 78 years is a relentless tale of oppression, pain, and unimaginable suffering for the innocent and unarmed people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The region today remains under one of the world's most heavily militarized occupations, with more than 1.1 million Indian troops, including personnel from the Army, Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and intelligence agencies, deployed across towns, villages, and even tourist areas.
Military cantonments and checkpoints have turned the valley into an open prison. Ordinary movement requires crossing multiple barriers, and Kashmiris continue to pay a heavy price for their peaceful resistance. Thousands have been maimed or blinded by pellet guns, while others have been injured or killed in violent crackdowns.
The statistics paint a grim picture: since 1947, more than 96,476 Kashmiris, including 7,406 in custody and fake encounters, have been martyred. Over 22,990 women have been widowed, 108,005 children orphaned, and at least 11,268 women have been victims of sexual violence by Indian forces. Additionally, over 8,000 people have disappeared in custody, their families still waiting for justice.
Each day in occupied Kashmir brings new stories of agony - fresh detentions, home raids, confiscations of property, and torture in the name of 'law and order.' Human rights violations persist under draconian laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Public Safety Act (PSA), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and others, which grant Indian forces blanket immunity.
Thousands of political leaders, activists, and journalists - including APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Khurram Parvez, and journalist Irfan Majeed - remain imprisoned under fabricated charges in Indian jails.
Many detainees have spent years behind bars under the PSA or UAPA, only to later be acquitted by courts after their charges were found baseless - a painful reminder of the deep-rooted injustice and systemic oppression Kashmiris continue to face.
Despite global awareness and repeated calls for resolution, the voices of millions in IIOJK remain silenced under occupation, their daily lives defined by surveillance, fear, and unending grief.