Enforcement of new criminal laws will lead to further erosion of civil liberties in Kashmir: DFP Spokesperson

SRINAGAR, July 02 (SABAH): Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party has expressed serious concern over the passing of three criminal laws by the Indian parliament saying that the enforcement of these laws would lead to  further erosion of civil liberties especially in disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the DFP Spokesman Advocate Arshad Iqbal said that these new criminal laws grant unfettered powers to the law enforcement agencies that have been already enjoying blanket immunity under various draconian laws.

While referring to the misuse of anti-terror laws in Kashmir by the Indian security agencies, Iqbal said that there was an apprehension that induction of these laws would lead to further erosion of civil liberties in the restive region where human rights situation had exacerbated due to lack of proper accountability mechanism.

He said  that the most worrying aspect of these laws was that there were no checks and balances or safety provisions to prevent the misuse of these criminal laws by the security agencies. “Granting sweeping powers to the security agencies under these laws can open up floodgates to  human rights abuse in Kashmir where draconian laws such as PSA, UAPA, AFSPA and other anti-terror laws are grossly being misused”, he said.
The DFP spokesman appealed the human rights bodies to take effective notice of the matter and raise the issue with government of India and other relevant international forums.
Terming Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle as a legitimate political struggle, he said, it was high time that the Indian government should accept the ground reality in Kashmir and realize the fact that genuine freedom movements with a massive public support cannot be subdued or suppressed by the dint of force. 
Urging the Indian government to shun its policy of intransigence, he said that a meaningful and result oriented dialogue between all the stakeholders to the Kashmir dispute was the only way forward to resolve this lingering dispute once and for all.
Ends-SABAH-TR-ZS
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