Copyright pakistantoday
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), a constituent of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, has strongly condemned India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) for opposing the bail plea of its illegally detained President, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, despite his deteriorating health condition. According to Kashmir Media Service, in a statement issued in Srinagar, DFP spokesperson Advocate Arshad Iqbal described the NIA’s case against Shabbir Ahmed Shah as “baseless and politically motivated.” He said the agency, having failed to produce any credible evidence in court, was now resorting to “delaying tactics” to prolong Shah’s illegal detention. Referring to Shah’s declining health, Advocate Iqbal lambasted the Indian judiciary for “acting under political influence instead of upholding justice.” He said Shabbir Ahmed Shah has faced fabricated charges since 1968, and even after eight years in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, no court has been able to substantiate the allegations against him. “The denial of bail is being used as a deliberate tool to perpetuate the unlawful imprisonment of Kashmiri political prisoners,” he said, adding that Shabbir Ahmed Shah and other Hurriyat leaders are being punished solely for their peaceful political struggle and for advocating the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. Condemning Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for “distorting facts” in court, Advocate Iqbal said Shabir Ahmed Shah has spent more than half of his life behind bars due to his political convictions. He urged international human rights organizations to take urgent notice of Shah’s worsening health, noting that the ailing leader suffers from multiple chronic ailments requiring specialized medical attention unavailable in prison. “Arrested in 2017, Shabbir Ahmed Shah is suffering from several chronic diseases and has lost considerable weight, reflecting the alarming deterioration in his health,” the DFP spokesman said. Reiterating the DFP’s demand for the immediate transfer of all Kashmiri political prisoners back to the occupied territory, Advocate Iqbal said the Indian government must respect their fundamental right to health and ensure proper medical treatment in accordance with international humanitarian norms.
