Kashmiri Activists Address Hybrid Warfare, Radicalization

The UN Human Rights Council’s 52nd session was an opportunity for Kashmiri activists to draw attention to the challenges they face in the region.

Shuib Lone, a former lawmaker, and activist noted the significant reduction in violence in the region following constitutional changes in 2019 and local government reforms. However, he warned of new threats, such as hybrid warfare and online radicalization of Kashmiri youth, with events from Afghanistan being used as a pretext to draw them into international conspiracy theories.

Bushra Mahajabeen, a survivor of a terror attack, spoke out against the exploitation of Kashmiris by militants. She noted that the silence of thousands of victims had come to an end, and more people would speak out against it. Mahajabeen’s sister was killed by militants, and she emphasized that life has never been normal since that day.

Staff Reporter