Geneva [Switzerland], September 25 (ANI): Kashmiri human rights activist and terrorism survivor Tasleema Akhter delivered a powerful appeal before the international community, sharing her personal story of loss and highlighting the continued suffering of families affected by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking as both an activist and a daughter of Kashmir, she recalled the traumatic events of April 11, 1999, when, at just eleven years old, she witnessed her father and elder brother being abducted by local militants supported by Pakistan-backed terrorists. While her father was later released after severe torture, her brother remained in captivity for seven days. The incident forced the family to leave their ancestral home. “From that moment, my childhood was stolen forever,” she said.
Tasleema also shared that ten of her own classmates were orphaned by the same wave of terrorism that devastated the Valley. “Children who once laughed and studied with me were suddenly left without parents,” she said, adding that these incidents reflect the collective pain endured by countless families across Kashmir.
Highlighting the broader impact of terrorism over the past three decades, she stated that Pakistan-sponsored violence has claimed the lives of teachers inside classrooms, migrant labourers earning their livelihood, and worshippers in mosques and temples. Entire communities, including the Kashmiri Pandits, were forced into exile from their homeland.
Calling for urgent international action, Tasleema presented three major appeals before the global community: recognising victims of terrorism as a key human rights concern, ensuring accountability for states sponsoring terrorism particularly Pakistan’s role in training and supporting militants and creating meaningful rehabilitation programmes for widows, orphans, and displaced families.
Ending her speech with a message of peace and resilience, she said, “We do not seek revenge; we seek justice. We do not seek war; we seek peace. We do not seek despair; we seek hope.” She urged the world to stand with terror victims and help restore Kashmir as a land of peace, dignity, and humanity.