(By Dr. Naeem Ul Hassan)
For many in the diaspora, distance from home fades into memory. For Mirza Asif Jarral, it has become a platform. From his base in Paris, the President of the Jammu & Kashmir Democratic Forum France (JKDF France) has spent years making sure the question of Kashmir is heard in the capitals and forums where international opinion is shaped.
Advocacy with purpose
Jarral has made advocacy for the rights of the Kashmiri people a central focus of his public life, raising Kashmir-related human rights concerns at international conferences and on various platforms to draw greater global attention to the issues Kashmiris face. His approach is steady and strategic: bring people together, give them a stage, and turn shared concern into a collective call for action.
That approach was on full display in August 2024. With the world’s eyes on Paris for the Olympic Games, JKDF France, under Jarral’s leadership, convened an all-parties conference in the city on the revocation of Kashmir’s special status under Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution. By choosing that moment and that city, the Forum ensured Kashmir’s concerns were raised when international attention was at its peak.
Marking the moments that matter
Jarral understands that remembrance and advocacy go hand in hand. JKDF France joined other organisations in Paris to host a gathering where Jarral and Pakistani and Kashmiri community leaders paid tribute to Syed Ali Gilani, recalling his lifelong commitment to the Kashmir cause.
On World Human Rights Day in December 2024, the Forum organised an online webinar spotlighting human rights concerns in Kashmir, bringing together prominent international speakers and activists, with Jarral opening the session. Speakers included Pakistan’s Ambassador to France, Asim Iftikhar, who stressed the need for collective international action and the potential of young people to carry the movement forward. The event closed with a unanimous call for the United Nations and other international bodies to engage on the Kashmir dispute, and the Forum pledged to continue its advocacy on every global platform.
Advocacy that reaches the vulnerable
What sets Jarral apart is that his work does not stop at speeches. He supports the Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT), a UK-registered charity founded after the devastating 2005 earthquake in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which provides orphaned children with housing, education, healthcare and other essential support. In May 2026, Paris hosted KORT’s first fundraising event in the French capital, and Jarral has worked to expand awareness and fundraising for the charity among Kashmiri and Pakistani communities across France and Europe.
Standing up for dignity (October 2026)
In October 2026, Jarral spoke out after a video of an online review meeting in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir circulated widely. In the footage, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, allegedly used derogatory language towards Beenish Wani, a woman officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service. He also allegedly threatened to have her suspended without hearing her side.
Jarral strongly condemned the alleged treatment and expressed solidarity with Wani. He called for an immediate and impartial inquiry and for strict action against the official concerned, in accordance with the law. He said the incident reflected the challenges Kashmiris face in safeguarding their dignity, rights, cultural heritage and identity. He linked it to wider concerns following the August 2019 revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, which he said had weakened the constitutional safeguards available to Kashmiris.
Jarral urged Kashmiris to strengthen their unity, political awareness and perseverance. “Despite all challenges, the Kashmiri people will continue their struggle for their legitimate rights and right to self-determination,” he said.
A bridge between voice and action
Mirza Asif Jarral’s story is one of consistency. Year after year, through conferences, commemorations, webinars and charitable work, he has kept Kashmir on the agenda while never losing sight of the children and families who need help today. In doing so, he and JKDF France show how the diaspora can serve as both a conscience and a lifeline for the people they represent.
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