Kashmir Resistance Leader Critiques Local Elections Amid Ongoing Conflict

Ahead of the final phase of local elections in Indian-controlled Kashmir, resistance leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq asserts that the polls will not resolve the long-standing conflict between India and Pakistan, the Associated Press reported yesterday.

Farooq, currently under house detention, criticized the elections as a façade of democracy, stating they cannot address the larger issues facing the region. He emphasized that the Modi government’s 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s semi-autonomy has silenced dissent and left many feeling dispossessed.

While authorities claim the elections will restore democracy after decades of unrest, many locals view them as a means to protest against recent changes that threaten the region’s demographics. Farooq expressed that public participation in the elections reflects pent-up emotions rather than support for New Delhi’s policies. He urged for dialogue among India, Pakistan, and Kashmiri leaders to find a resolution, cautioning that the elections should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of the government’s actions.