Kashmiri widows and half-widows remain prisoners of grief and uncertainty

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2026) Kashmiri widows and half-widows continue to bear the brutal and enduring scars of the Kashmir conflict, as the number of widows and half-widows in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir has risen dramatically over the past 37 years, condemning thousands to lives marked by loss, uncertainty and hardship.

According to a report released by Kashmir Media Service, Kashmiri widows and half-widows continue to endure the harsh legacy of the Kashmir conflict, with thousands forced to navigate lives marked by loss, anguish and unanswered questions about the fate of their loved ones.

The report stated that unending Indian state terrorism has rendered 22,991 Kashmiri women widowed between January 1989 and 31 May 2026, leaving many to shoulder immense emotional, social and economic burdens.

The report further reveals that more than 10,000 Kashmiris have disappeared in the custody of Indian troops since 1989.

As a result, over 2,000 women in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are living as half-widows, trapped in a painful state of uncertainty as their husbands vanished without a trace and their fate remains unknown.

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Among the worst-affected areas is Dardpora village in Kupwara district, where nearly 200 women are reportedly living with the anguish of having lost their husbands to enforced disappearances.

The prolonged uncertainty surrounding their loved ones has subjected many of these women to severe psychological trauma, social isolation and financial hardship.

The report notes that the growing number of widows and half-widows in IIOJK reflects the profound human cost of the decades-long conflict. Many of these women continue to face immense challenges in securing justice, economic stability and social support while coping with the lasting effects of loss and uncertainty.

The report calls upon the international community, global human rights organizations and the United Nations to take serious notice of the plight of Kashmiri widows and half-widows. It urges them to press for accountability, support efforts to uncover the fate of the disappeared, and ensure that the voices and suffering of these women are neither ignored nor forgotten.