APHC Concerned About Environmental Threat Posed By Amarnath Yatra In IIOJK

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jun, 2024) The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has expressed concern over the environmental threat posed by the large-scale Amarnath Yatra in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir(IIOJK), urging immediate international intervention.

According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas in a statement in Srinagar stated that the annual influx of hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims from Indian states severely impacted IIOJK’s fragile ecosystem.

He highlighted issues such as glacier melting, heightened flood risks and pollution resulting from the Hindu pilgrimage.

He criticized New Delhi for depriving Kashmiri Muslims of their rights, including restrictions on performing Friday and Eid prayers, while providing extensive security and facilities for Hindu pilgrims.

The spokesman urged the international community to press India to impose strict limits on the duration and scale of the Yatra to protect Kashmir’s environment.

The 52-day Amarnath Yatra began today and will continue until August 19.

He said, "The Indian government is ignoring the threat to the environment of the occupied area as a result of the pilgrimage, which is very sad."

The APHC spokesman said that the international community should take immediate notice of the danger posed to the environment of IIOJK by the Amarnath Yatra and put pressure on India to reduce the duration of the pilgrimage and limit the number of pilgrims to save the environment of the region.