Wani urges UN to halt crackdown on Kashmir’s educational and religious institutions

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd May, 2026) The Chairman of the Kashmir Institute of International Relations, Altaf Hussain Wani has sought the UN Special Rapporteur's urgent attention towards the “systematic and selective targeting” of educational and religious institutions in Indian occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a detailed communication submitted to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, Wani expressed serious concern over the designation of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom as an “unlawful” institution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

He termed the move “arbitrary and disproportionate,” noting that it has abruptly disrupted the education of nearly 1,000 students enrolled in the seminary, who were forced to vacate and quit their studies mid-session.

Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom, he mentioned, has for decades served as a reputable institution, producing doctors , scholars and IT professionals who continue to contribute meaningfully to society.

The communique underscored that the closure is part of a broader and recurring pattern of actions targeting institutions that have been serving poor and marginalized communities.

He said that since 2019 hundreds of schools and colleges affiliated to Falah e Aam Trust have been closed by occupation authorities under the guise of UAPA.

These actions, he underscored, have disproportionately affected institutions serving economically disadvantaged communities.

The communication also points to structural changes in the region’s education system following the adoption of the National Council of Educational Research and Training-aligned curriculum.

Citing international covenants under which the right to religious education is protected under, the KIIR Chairman urged the UN Special Rapporteur to: Call on Indian authorities to cease the selective targeting of institutions in Kashmir, ensure adherence to constitutional and international human rights obligations, safeguard the rights to freedom of religion, belief, and education and reverse measures that adversely affect students and educational continuity.

“The continued closure and takeover of such institutions not only undermines fundamental freedoms but also places the educational future of thousands at risk,” he said.