Geneva, (TW) : Speakers at a seminar organized by the International Action for Peace and Sustainable Development (IAPSD) condemned India’s use of false flag operations in Kashmir, describing it as a long-standing tactic to malign the Kashmiris’ legitimate struggle and justify military crackdowns.

Held on the sidelines of the United Nations Human Rights Council session, the seminar brought together activists, academicians, political leaders, and legal experts from across the globe. Notable speakers, who addressed the event included Ghulam Muhammad Safi, Convener of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference–AJK chapter, Ch. Pervaiz Ashraf, former Minister AJK, Altaf Hussain Wani Chairman KIIR , Sardar Amjad Yousuf, President and Chief Operating Officer of IAPSD, and Dr. Saira Shah, representative of the Community Human Rights Advocacy (CHRAC) Moderated the penal

The speakers cited instances such as the abduction of six Western tourists in 1995, the Chattisinghpora massacre of 2000, the 2019 Pulwama attack, and the recent Pahalgam incident as examples of India’s false-flag operations. The speakers noted with concern that such incidents have been used by the Indian authorities to justify harsh crackdowns and to discredit and delegitimise the Kashmiris’ peaceful struggle for right to self-determination.

They pointed out that the 1995 abduction of western tourists was used by the Indian state as an instrument to shape global opinion in its favor and that a noted historian Victoria Schofield’s analyses support the claim. “The book—The Meadow: Where the Terror Began—by investigative journalists Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark provides a detailed account of how the kidnapping was manipulated by Indian authorities to give a communal color to Kashmir’s resistance”, the speakers said.

“Similarly, the Chattisinghpora massacre was used to malign Kashmir’s indigenous struggle and the massacre was orchestrated at a time when then-US President Bill Clinton visited South Asia”, they observed. According to the speakers, later investigations indicated that the brutal killings of Sikhs were carried out by Indian agencies themselves.

The recent attack in Pahalgam was highlighted by speakers as another example of false flag operations that nearly brought India and Pakistan to the brink of full-scale war. Highlighting its impacts on the people of Kashmir, they stated that New Delhi used it to intensify its crackdown in Kashmir. “Instead of launching a credible investigation, authorities conducted arbitrary detentions and carried out collective punishments against Kashmiris”, they remarked.

“Days after the attack, thousands of Kashmiris were arbitrarily detained. Family homes of alleged freedom fighters were demolished as punishment — a trend that violates both constitutional guarantees and international human rights norms,” the speakers stated, referring to remarks by Kashmir Zone IGP V.K. Birdi, who admitted that 90 people had been booked under the stringent Public Safety Act and about 2,800 others rounded up for questioning.

It may be recalled here that Kashmiri leaders and human rights activists condemned these measures, describing them as collective punishment. Even senior mainstream politicians like the incumbent Chief Minister of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, expressed grave concern and warned New Delhi against such tactics.

The speakers also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks in Bihar, where he threatened to cut off Pakistan’s water supply, describing this as highly inflammatory and an example of jingoistic rhetoric, which escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

“Rather than conducting a neutral and transparent investigation, New Delhi has treated the Pahalgam attack as an already adjudicated matter, shutting the door to dialogue and accountability,” the speakers said.

The seminar concluded with a strong call for an independent inquiry into these incidents. “An independent probe is vital not only to establish the truth but also to deter future abuses and ensure accountability for the victims and their families,” the speakers asserted.

“The recent standoff between India and Pakistan, which brought the two nations close to the edge of a disastrous military clash, further underlines the urgency of resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute”, the speakers said, emphasizing that a just, and peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue is pivotal for regional peace and stability.