Aug 5: marks a historic day of justice and dignity for hundreds of families in Jammu and Kashmir who have suffered unimaginable pain and loss due to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism over the last three decades.
On behalf of the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir (ATVK) and as a Human Rights Defender and Representative from India at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), I, Tasleema Akhter, would like to thank you very much, along with my organization ATVK, to my beloved Indian Government and Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha Ji for this compassionate and bold initiative to hand over appointment letters to 250 families of terror victims from across North, Central, and South Kashmir on August 5, 2025, at SKICC, Srinagar.
These families—whose loved ones were brutally killed by terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—have suffered not only emotional and physical trauma, but also severe economic hardship and long-term social neglect. Many of the victims were civilians and sole breadwinners, leaving behind families in despair and silence.
For decades, these families were marginalized and unheard, their pain buried in the shadows of society. But today, under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, their voices are finally being acknowledged, and their dignity restored. This follows the earlier steps on 13th July in Baramulla, where 40 terror victim families received appointment letters, and on 28th July in Jammu, where 80 more families received the same justice.
The appointment of these 250 families on August 5 is not just an administrative act—it is a moral and humanitarian victory. It sends a clear message to the world that India recognizes the pain of terror victims, and ATVK will remain committed to fighting for their rights, justice, and peaceful rehabilitation.
August 5 has now become a symbol of justice received and hope renewed for thousands in the Kashmir Valley.