Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Shabbir Ahmad Shah has praised the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir for displaying unwavering commitment to the Kashmir freedom struggle.

In a message from New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, he emphasized that hardships and challenges are an integral part of the journey toward freedom from slavery.

He expressed confidence that despite all odds, the Kashmiri people will continue to safeguard their collective interests in their pursuit of freedom.

Shabir Ahmed Shah called upon the global Muslim community to play a proactive role in addressing the plight of Kashmiris.

Meanwhile, an event was held on the sidelines of 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva jointly organized by International Action for Peace and Sustainable Development and Kashmir Institute of International Relations.

Referring to the unsettled Kashmir dispute, the Speaker said the raging conflict has significantly contributed to an environmental crisis in the region, primarily due to the neglect of environmental concerns amidst political tensions.

Citing massive troops’ concentration in the eco-fragile territory of Kashmir, they said that the troops deployment in the eco-sensitive areas along the Line of Control and use of heavy weapons has led to issues like rapid glacier melting, deforestation, water scarcity and degradation of fragile ecosystems.