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

Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...
Anti-women state
Updated 25 Nov, 2024

Anti-women state

GLOBALLY, women are tormented by the worst tools of exploitation: rape, sexual abuse, GBV, IPV, and more are among...
IT sector concerns
25 Nov, 2024

IT sector concerns

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ambitious plan to increase Pakistan’s IT exports from $3.2bn to $25bn in the ...
Israel’s war crimes
25 Nov, 2024

Israel’s war crimes

WHILE some powerful states are shielding Israel from censure, the court of global opinion is quite clear: there is...