Brussels, June 10, 2025: Chairman of the Kashmir Council Europe (KCEU), Ali Raza Syed, has urged the Group of Seven (G7) countries to use their influence to push India toward ending human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and granting Kashmiris their internationally recognized right to self-determination.
In a statement issued ahead of the G7 Summit scheduled from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, Syed stressed that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, invited as a guest to the summit, should be held accountable for his country’s actions in the region.
“For 77 years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been subjected to systematic oppression under Indian occupation,” said Syed. “This includes brutal military repression, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions of civilians, political leaders, and rights activists.”
He cited the imprisonment of prominent figures such as Yasin Malik and Khurram Parvez, while also condemning the daily violence and curfews imposed on civilians in what he referred to as “Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”
Ali Raza Syed called on G7 leaders—representing the world’s most advanced economies—to uphold their commitment to peace, justice, and international law by holding India accountable.
“The G7 must not turn a blind eye to the grave human rights abuses in Kashmir. Stability in South Asia is not possible without a just resolution of the Kashmir conflict,” he asserted.
He further emphasized that diplomatic and economic tools should be employed to compel India to respect United Nations resolutions and the will of the Kashmiri people.
“As the G7 works toward global peace, security, and sustainable economic growth, its leaders should recognize that true development in South Asia is impossible without justice for Kashmir,” Syed added.
The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union. This year’s summit, hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, has invited India as a guest despite its non-member status.
Ali Raza Syed warned that inviting India without addressing the Kashmir issue risks “legitimizing a government accused of serious human rights violations,” and urged the G7 to place Kashmir’s plight on the summit’s agenda.
