Erdoğan’s selective “brotherly love” for Kashmir ignores both the flourishing of minorities in India and the suffering of Muslims under his allies. 

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this week and raised the Kashmir issue, his remarks followed a predictable script. 

For many Islamist circles in Turkey, Kashmir has become a stage on which to project global Muslim solidarity. Yet, as a Turkish national studying political science, I find this rhetoric increasingly disconnected from reality. 

If Erdoğan’s concern for Muslims were genuine, he would first ask his ally Pakistan to withdraw from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where people have been denied basic rights for decades, and press China to end its persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. 

Instead, he selectively targets India, where Kashmiris and other minorities are flourishing under a democratic framework that guarantees freedoms and opportunities.

India’s Inclusive Reputation

Far from the caricature often presented in political rhetoric, India has earned global recognition as a leader in pluralism. The Global Minority Report (GMR), published in February 2023 and cited by Australia Today, ranked India first among 110 countries for inclusivity toward religious minorities. 

India was followed by South Korea, Japan, Panama, and the United States, while the UK was ranked 54th and the UAE 61st. The Maldives, Afghanistan, and Somalia were at the bottom. 

The report praised India’s constitutional model, particularly Articles 29 and 30, which protect the rights of religious and linguistic minorities to conserve their culture and establish institutions. Unlike many constitutions, India explicitly embeds pluralism. The GMR even recommended India’s framework as a potential UN model for minority inclusivity.

At the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 24, 2025, Faiza Rifat, a young speaker from Jaipur, Rajasthan, reinforced this message. She emphasized that India’s celebrated principle of “Unity in Diversity” has enabled multiple cultures, religions, and languages to thrive harmoniously within one nation. 

She reminded delegates that the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, belief, and expression, making India a living example of pluralism in practice. At the same time, Rifat raised the urgent issue of terrorism, citing the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the more recent tragedy in Pahalgam as reminders that violence is not merely an assault on nations but on humanity itself. 

Her call for a unified global response to terrorism, stressing cooperation and collective determination, underscored India’s dual commitment—pluralism at home and peacebuilding abroad.

Muslims Thriving Within Democracy

India is home to more than 200 million Muslims, the second-largest Muslim population in the world. Far from being silent victims, they are active contributors to civic life. As law student Zoha Fatima of Hyderabad observed, the narrative of voiceless and oppressed Indian Muslims is outdated propaganda. 

Across India, Muslims are thriving—organizing evening schools in Seelampur, running startups in Bengaluru, and leading NGOs in Bihar and Hyderabad. Politically, Muslims participate robustly in elections and governance. They support regional parties such as the Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala and the AIUDF in Assam, while youth-led and Pasmanda movements demand inclusive representation. These dynamics illustrate empowerment through democracy, not marginalization.

Economically, Indian Muslims are increasingly visible in entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and crafts. Pasmanda Muslims, historically marginalized, are using microfinance and education to break cycles of poverty. Women-led cooperatives and digital literacy programs are reshaping communities. 

On the cultural and athletic stage, Indian Muslims are national icons. Cricket heroes Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj unite fans across religions, while Sania Mirza has become a symbol of women’s empowerment in global tennis. Their journeys showcase integration, resilience, and national pride. 

Shehla Rashid’s book Role Models: Inspiring Stories of Indian Muslim Achievers highlights individuals such as A. R. Rahman, the Oscar-winning composer whose music bridges cultures worldwide; Nigar Shaji, a scientist contributing to India’s space program; Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, a diplomat who has advanced cultural diplomacy; and Huma Qureshi, an acclaimed actor expanding representation in Indian cinema. 

These stories illustrate how Indian Muslims thrive across disciplines and embody the spirit of inclusivity that the Constitution guarantees.

Global Perceptions of India

Beyond domestic realities, India’s image abroad reflects a similar story of resilience and inclusivity. A Pew Research Center survey conducted between January and April 2025 across 24 countries found that 47 percent of respondents hold a favorable view of India, compared to 38 percent unfavorable and 13 percent with no opinion. 

Favorability is high in Kenya, the UK, Israel, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, and Nigeria. Negative views are concentrated in Turkey and Australia. Views also varied by age, gender, and ideology, reflecting India’s growing but contested profile on the world stage. 

In South Africa, favorability toward India rose to a record 46 percent, partly due to expanding India–Africa economic ties. In Europe, countries like France and Germany saw double-digit increases in positive views. Israel continues to view India favorably despite slight declines since 2023. These findings affirm that India’s story of inclusivity resonates globally, even if not universally.

A Model of Coexistence

Why then does Erdoğan persist in raising Kashmir? The answer lies in politics rather than principle. By focusing selectively on India, he diverts attention from Pakistan’s denial of rights in PoK and China’s persecution of Uyghurs. 

The contrast is glaring: in India, minorities enjoy constitutional protections and democratic participation; in PoK, basic freedoms are absent; in Xinjiang, entire communities face erasure. India’s recognition as the world’s most inclusive nation is an achievement worth celebrating, but also one that demands vigilance. 

Expanding educational and employment opportunities for minorities, strengthening grassroots representation, supporting community-led NGOs, promoting cultural diplomacy, and addressing hate speech are all vital to sustaining this framework.

Erdoğan’s selective “brotherly love” for Kashmir ignores both the flourishing of minorities in India and the suffering of Muslims under his allies. 

India’s message, delivered powerfully by voices like Faiza Rifat at the UNHRC, is one of unity in diversity, peace, and resilience. Its No. 1 ranking in the Global Minority Report, reinforced by Pew’s global survey, affirms India as a living model of coexistence. 

As an outsider, I see clearly that Indian Muslims are not waiting to be included—they are already shaping India’s future as achievers, leaders, and global icons. For the UN and the wider world, the lesson is simple: if inclusivity is the goal, India’s model deserves recognition, not reproach.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.

The truth is stark, data-backed, and irrefutable: India is building lives in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is destroying them in PoJK.

In the ongoing war of narratives between India and Pakistan over Jammu & Kashmir, facts have finally caught up with fiction. While Pakistan peddles a tired tale of prosperity in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), the truth tells a dramatically different story, one of neglect, repression, and economic decay on its side, and of transformation, investment, and democratic inclusion in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Budgetary Commitment: India’s Investments Leave Pakistan Behind

Let’s begin with the basics—money.

The development budget for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in 2025–26 stands at a remarkable ₹1,12,310 crore (USD 12.9 billion), reflecting India’s strong financial commitment to the region’s growth. In sharp contrast, the Annual Development Programme for Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) amounts to just PKR 49 billion (USD 1.77 billion).

On a per capita basis, the disparity is even more striking: India allocates approximately USD 1,032 per person in J&K, while Pakistan spends only USD 393 per person in PoJK.

India’s per capita investment in J&K is nearly three times what Pakistan spends in PoJK. That alone exposes the hollowness of Pakistan’s claims of parity or superiority in developmental efforts. These aren’t just numbers; they represent hospitals built, schools upgraded, roads constructed, and lives improved.

Education: A Tale of Two Systems

India has placed a strong emphasis on educational excellence in Jammu & Kashmir, transforming the region into an emerging hub of academic and professional institutions. Today, J&K is home to nine state universities, two central universities, and four Institutes of National Importance—including IIT Jammu, IIM Jammu, NIT Srinagar, and NIFT Srinagar.

The region also boasts eleven medical colleges, fourteen engineering colleges, and two AIIMS campuses—one operational in Samba and another upcoming in Awantipora. In stark contrast, Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) lags far behind with only seven universities and four medical colleges. Compounding the problem are chronic shortages of qualified faculty, poor remuneration, and mismanaged institutions—conditions that render PoJK’s education system ill-equipped to prepare its youth for the future.

The contrast is equally severe in terms of job creation. In PoJK, youth are either absorbed into the government sector or pushed into the Pakistan Army’s Northern Light Infantry. Meanwhile, in J&K, expanding industry, tourism, and startups are opening up new avenues for educated youth, with the support of central government schemes like Startup India, Digital India, and the Industrial Development Scheme for the UT.

Healthcare: Pakistan’s Neglect, India’s Transformation

Healthcare is another area where Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir is significantly ahead of its Pakistani-occupied counterpart. With a total of 5,534 health institutions—comprising 4,433 government and 1,101 private facilities—J&K maintains a doctor-patient ratio of 1:1658, reflecting a relatively robust healthcare infrastructure.

In stark contrast, PoJK has only 73 hospitals and health centres, with an alarming doctor-patient ratio of 1:4916, exposing the deep neglect and systemic healthcare crisis in the region under Pakistani control.

J&K’s Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 23, three times better than PoJK. In 2023, J&K was declared #1 in India for IMR reduction, slashing it by 8 points in one year. AIIMS, district hospitals, telemedicine, and Ayushman Bharat cards are bridging the last-mile health delivery gap.

By contrast, PoJK residents have to protest for basic access to emergency care, suffer under dilapidated facilities, and rely on non-local doctors due to persistent staff shortages.

Freedom, Democracy & Governance: J&K Joins India; PoJK Remains Pakistan’s Colony

Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Jammu & Kashmir has been fully and firmly integrated into the constitutional and political framework of India. The region now enjoys full representation in both houses of the Indian Parliament, participates in the nationwide electoral process, and benefits from central welfare schemes on par with other Indian states.

Additionally, the implementation of Panchayati Raj has empowered local governance, bringing decision-making closer to the grassroots and strengthening democratic institutions in the Union Territory.

Meanwhile, PoJK and GB are not even listed in Article 1 of Pakistan’s own Constitution. Their legal status is determined by the highly dubious Karachi Agreement of 1949, signed behind closed doors without any GB representation. PoJK is run via an ‘interim constitution,’ and GB via an executive order, not a law passed by any legislature.

Worse, PoJK’s constitution bans anyone from even questioning its accession to Pakistan. Section 4(7)(3) of the 1974 Act makes any political expression against Pakistan’s claim a punishable offence. This is not democracy, it’s colonialism in disguise.

Discrimination, Repression, and Sectarian Violence

While J&K thrives in a secular, pluralistic democracy, where Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians co-exist, PoJK and GB are trapped in systemic discrimination.

In Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), religious persecution and sectarian discrimination remain deeply entrenched. Since Ahmadis, are constitutionally declared as non-Muslims in Pakistan, they face daily persecution and systemic exclusion from public life.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, Shia Muslims—despite forming the majority—suffer from state-backed discrimination, targeted killings, and institutional bias. Sectarian violence is alarmingly common, and authorities have repeatedly failed to ensure basic law and order in key areas such as Gilgit, Skardu, and Chilas.

Enforced Disappearances and Suppression of Dissent

While Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir enjoys a vibrant media landscape, active political debate, and the freedom to protest without fear, Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) have become zones of repression for activists and dissenters. Journalists, students, and political figures routinely disappear without a trace, often without any official explanation.

The United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) and the Awami Action Committee have consistently raised concerns about enforced disappearances and custodial killings. In a chilling incident from May 2025, two young men from PoJK, Zarnosh Naseem and Jibran Naseem, were executed by Pakistani forces and falsely branded as “terrorists,” further intensifying public outrage and highlighting the climate of fear and impunity in the region.

Such acts have triggered widespread unrest. In both 2024 and 2025, mass protests swept across PoJK and GB demanding lower electricity tariffs, subsidised flour, and basic governance. Islamabad responded not with reform, but with detentions, intimidation, and media blackouts.

Infrastructure and Connectivity: A World Apart

India is rapidly connecting Jammu & Kashmir to the rest of the country through a modern transport revolution. The recently inaugurated Chenab Bridge, now the world’s highest railway bridge, stands as a symbol of engineering excellence and integration.

Simultaneously, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra-Srinagar expressway is progressing at a swift pace, promising seamless travel and economic connectivity. Jammu & Kashmir now boasts over 1.4 lakh kilometers of road network—more than any region with similar terrain—significantly enhancing mobility, trade, and access to essential services.

Meanwhile, in PoJK and GB, poor road infrastructure, irregular power supply, and limited internet access have crippled economic activity. Tourism, which flourishes in Indian J&K, is negligible in PoJK due to insecurity and lack of facilities.

Natural Resources: Looted by Pakistan, Denied to Locals

Despite their mineral richness, PoJK and GB have no control over local resources. Coal, uranium, water, and timber are all exploited by Pakistan’s elite and military-industrial complex. Locals get no royalties, no jobs, and no say.

In Indian J&K, recent policy changes have encouraged local entrepreneurship in mining, horticulture, handicrafts, and IT, with transparent auction processes and guaranteed revenue sharing with panchayats and district bodies.

A Contrast That Can No Longer Be Denied

It’s no longer a contest between two narratives—it’s a contrast between two stark realities. On one side is Jammu & Kashmir: democratic, rapidly developing, and increasingly integrated with the world’s fastest-growing major economy. On the other side lie Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, where people are denied basic rights, exploited by the Pakistani state, and left to languish under military domination and a string of broken promises.

Pakistan must stop using PoJK as cannon fodder for its failed Kashmir policy. The world must now call it out for what it is, an occupying force in a region it neither nurtures nor understands.

The truth is stark, data-backed, and irrefutable: India is building lives in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is destroying them in PoJK.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.

WIONews Journalist Anas Mallik tweeted, “US Congresswoman Ilhan to arrive in Islamabad tomorrow, she will be visiting Lahore and Azad Kashmir as well and will meet country’s senior leadership”.

Meanwhile, India will be closely monitoring her trip, according to WLVN analysis.

Various reports suggest that Pakistan has been funding a lobbying group in United States, which is in touch with Somali-American organizations to promote Pakistan’s Kashmir agenda in US political circles.

In April, Ilhan accused India of pursuing an anti-Muslim policy, while pushing the Biden Administration to criticize the Modi government.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman refuted Ilhan’s allegations. However, she did not appear to be satisfied with the answers.

Ilhan has been critical of Indian administration for the past few months, while political analysts have attributed her cynical approach to the Pakistan funded lobbying group.