The United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) has raised alarm over the abduction of a Kashmiri man, Khurshid Ahmed, from Rawalpindi, condemning the enforced disappearance and demanding his immediate release.
Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan, the central spokesperson for the UKPNP, took to X (formerly Twitter) to highlight the case of Khurshid Ahmed, a resident of Neelum district in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“Another Kashmiri, Khurshid Ahmed, resident of Neelum, was abducted on June 7 from Rawalpindi, Pakistan by uniformed personnel,” Khan said. “The UKPNP condemns this enforced disappearance & demands his immediate release and justice.”
The incident has drawn attention to the human rights issues plaguing the Pakistan-occupied regions of Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, which have been a subject of concern for several years.
Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests by Pak Army forces in the occupied territories, often targeting individuals critical of the occupied government’s policies.
Moreover, reports have highlighted restrictions on freedom of expression and press freedom in PoJK and PoGB, with journalists and media outlets facing censorship for reporting on sensitive issues, including human rights violations and political dissent.
Political parties and activists advocating for autonomy in the regions also face repression and persecution by the authorities, with electoral fraud and manipulation to suppress dissenting voices.
There is a lack of effective mechanisms to hold security forces and officials accountable for violations committed against civilians in the occupied territories.
Additionally, land grabbing and exploitation of natural resources in the area is rampant, with local communities marginalized or displaced without adequate compensation or consultation.