Srinagar, March 25 (IANS) Human rights defender Tasleema Akhter, Chairperson of the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir, delivered a strong rebuttal to Pakistan's narrative at the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Speaking exclusively to IANS on Tuesday, Akhter emphasised that Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) is an inseparable part of India and highlighted the stark contrast in governance and rights between the two regions.

"Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India's Jammu and Kashmir. We have always spoken about it and will continue to do so. If you look at the difference between Indian Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, you will see that basic rights of the common people are completely absent there. There is no freedom of speech," she declared.

Akhter underscored the functioning democratic system in Jammu and Kashmir, contrasting it with the suppression across the border.

"The system here is running very smoothly. The politics here is functioning in a very different and effective way. Everyone is doing their work, the Army is handling its responsibilities, and social activists are doing their part. No one is interrupting anyone, and I believe this is a good situation. However, in Pakistan, if someone talks about fundamental rights, they are sent to jail," she said.

She also warned against Pakistan's attempts to spread misinformation.

"Their ISI is baseless, and the whole world understands how Pakistan sponsors terrorism and carries out innocent killings in Kashmir. It is our basic right to raise the voice of Jammu and Kashmir..." Akhter asserted.

Earlier, she extended Eid greetings and drew attention to the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.

"First of all, since Eid is currently being celebrated, I would like to extend my Eid greetings to everyone. And definitely, this time our speech focused on the incident in Pahalgam in 2025, where unarmed people were killed, and we discussed that issue," she said.

Her intervention at Geneva was seen as a powerful counter to Pakistan's propaganda, reinforcing India's position on Jammu and Kashmir while spotlighting the plight of victims of terrorism.

At a global forum, Akhter's words carried both urgency and conviction, reminding the world of the human cost of cross-border militancy and the resilience of Kashmiri voices demanding peace and justice.

--IANS

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