AJK President Calls For Early Release Of Political Prisoners From Indian Jails

AJK President calls for early release of political prisoners from Indian jails

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2020 ) Nov. 24 (APP):President, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the prolonged unlawful detention of Kashmiri political leaders and demanded their immediate release from Indian jails.

"We call upon the international human rights community to raise voice for the release of political prisoners in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and protection of their fundamental rights," he said The President declared the illegal detention of chief Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Yasin Malik, Dukhtaran-e-Millat Chairperson Aasia Andrabi, Fehmida Soofi and Naheeda Nasreen was a shameful act of the Indian government, said a news release.

He said the so-called world largest democracy has demonstrated its imperialist mentality by putting behind bars despite the ill health of these political leaders for a long.

He maintained that the political activists had not committed any offence other than demanding freedom from India and raising voice for their right to self-determination. However, he added, the Indian Government appeared considering the demand for freedom and right to self-determination as a crime bigger than murder and terrorism.

The State President said prolonged detention of old aged and physically fragile women because of their political views, revealed the revengeful approach of the Indian rulers, which is highly condemnable.

He pointed out that 60 years old Aasia Andarabi who was arrested by the Indian Army in October 2016, was released in 2017, but she was rearrested immediately after her release and was detained first in Ambala prison in Jammu, and later Tihar Jail of Delhi with her two political colleagues Fehminda Soofi and Naheeda Nasreen.

Referring to the long detention of JKLF chief Yasin Malik, the AJK president said that Malik's health was fast deteriorating, but the Indian Government has not only declined to release him but has also refused to provide medical facilities to him.

Strongly condemning the state terrorism let loose by the Indian Government against the innocent people of occupied Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan said in spite of India's all-out imperialist tricks, the Kashmiri people would continue their struggle for their freedom and the right to self-determination.

"Unresolved Kashmir remains a serious threat for peace and stability in South Asia. Indian occupiers should rethink their strategy from the angle of India's own survival. They're sowing seeds for retribution for generations," he asserted.

The AJK President appealed to the UN Security Council to implement its resolutions on Kashmir, and play its role in finding a political and diplomatic solution to the Kashmir conflict in order to ensure peace and security of the region.