AJK President Sardar Masood Khan on Tuesday expressed his grave concern over the prolonged unlawful detention of Kashmiri political leaders and demanded their immediate release from Indian jails.

In a statement, he said, “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.”

The president declared the illegal detention of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik, Dukhtaran-e-Millat Chairperson Aasia Andrabi, Fehmida Soofi and Naheeda Nasreen as a shameful act of the Indian government, and said that 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 time.

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 appears considering the demand for freedom and right to self-determination as a crime bigger than murder and terrorism.

The State President said that prolonged detention of old aged and physically fragile women because of their political views, reveals 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 that in spite of India’s all-out imperialist tricks, the Kashmiri people will 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.