https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/4/outrage-after-kashmiri-men-killed-in-another-staged-gunfight
This past Monday in Srinagar, the Indian controlled district of Kashmir, the Indian army has been accused of killing three Kashmiri men. The families of the men have protested the extrajudicial killings, and denied all claims by the Indian army that the men were rebel militants. Since the repeal of Kashmiri autonomy in 2019 by New Delhi, more than 200 rebels have been killed in similar extrajudicial killings. Kashmir politicians are calling for an immediate investigation into the act, citing them as grave violations of human rights. However, Indian soldiers in Kashmir are essentially granted impunity under the sweeping Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which grants the army large amounts of power and incentives to capture rebels and maintain regional control. Therefore, in order to launch an investigation into the army, permission must be granted from the Indian government– nearly every request sent has been denied due to lack of evidence.
Kashmir has faced thousands of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations for over two decades, with zero prosecutions. While Pakistan has condemned the extrajudicial killings, India has not taken any steps towards improving the situation. Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, and various HR lawyers and activists have spoken out calling for AFSPA to be removed, as it is a tool for oppression and gross abuses of power for the soldiers stationed in Kashmir.
With the spike in extrajudicial killings following India’s repeal of Kashmiri autonomy, tensions between Pakistan and India continue to heighten. With two out of the three Pakistan/India wars being fought over Kashmir, the potential for violence becomes more plausible. If India and Pakistan break into outright conflict, international bodies with a national interest in the region, such as China and the US would subsequently become involved.