Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed deep anguish over the continuing human tragedy faced by families divided across the Line of Control, particularly in moments of personal loss and grief.  According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, referring to a recent incident in Keran, said a family was unable to come together to bid a final farewell to a deceased loved one due to the artificial divide, reflecting the painful reality endured by countless Kashmiri families. 

In a post on X, Mirwaiz wrote: “At the LoC, on the banks of the Neelum River in Keran, a sister stood on the Azad Kashmir side while her brother’s body lay across. Just yards apart, she could see the coffin but not his face. In Kashmir, even grief is divided.” The Hurriyat leader, sharing his own experience, said that being part of a divided family himself, with relatives across the LoC, he can deeply relate to the pain of separation, which is felt most intensely during times of grief and loss. 

He said such recurring tragedies are a painful reminder of the urgent need to address the human dimension of the Kashmir conflict and to facilitate greater connectivity, compassion and humanitarian relief for divided families.  Mirwaiz emphasized that meaningful engagement, guided by the spirit of Insaniyat (humanity) and Jamhooriyat (democracy), as articulated by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, remains essential for moving towards a humane and lasting resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)