On 11th February, Shuhada-e-Kashmir Day is commemorated to pay tribute to all the valiant Kashmiri martyrs including Maqbool Bhat. From Elahi Bakhshi to Burhan Wani, these brave men have emerged as the stalwarts of the cause of Kashmir.

Their sacrifices are symbolised through the eleven stars that shimmer on the sky of Kashmir – Elahi Bakhshi, Afzal Guru, Burhan Wani, Maqbool Bhatt, Syed Ali Gillani, Ashraf Khan, Zakir Musa, Riaz Naiko, Ahsan Dar, Ashraf Dar and Maqbool Allai.

India is rightly deemed the ultimate offender in this matter, having caused the Kashmiri people to become orphans by indiscriminately killing innocent children. It is an imperative that the international community intervene and hold India to account for the war crimes it has perpetrated in Kashmir. Furthermore, the Indian government has to face questions concerning the refusal to release the bodies of slain freedom fighters buried in jails.

The international community must also take immediate action against the grave acts of human rights abuses perpetrated in the guise of democracy.