47,000 died in Kashmir, says Delhi

Published November 22, 2008

SRINAGAR, Nov 21: The nearly two-decade-old anti-India campaign in occupied Kashmir has left 47,000 people dead, more than 20,000 of them civilians, according to official figures released on Friday.

The figure did not include those labelled as having “disappeared” in the region since unrest began in 1989 and a prominent human rights group said the real toll was certainly far higher.

Kashmir Chief Secretary S.S. Kapur said in a statement that more than 20,000 civilians and 7,000 police and security personnel had died in what he described as “incidents of terrorism” in the past 20 years.

The same period had witnessed “the neutralisation” of 20,000 militants.

The region’s leading human rights group, the Coalition of Civil Society, said the real toll stood at more than 70,000 dead. “Our figures are based on a proper survey,” senior group official Khurram Pervez said.

Kashmiri leaders say nearly 100,000 people have died in the unrest.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...