Pakistan deeply concerned over illegal confinement of Kashmiri leaders by Indian govt: FO

(Karachi) The Foreign Office has expressed concern over illegal confinement and house arrest of Kashmiri leaders over fabricated charges by Indian Government, a statement issued by FO stated on Monday.

The statement stated that the Kashmiri leaders have been illegally arrested over malicious and false charges by the Indian Government through invoking draconian laws promulgated in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).

"Pakistan is deeply concerned over the continued incarceration and deteriorating health conditions of Kashmiri leaders including founding leader of Kashmiri organization “Dukhtaran-i-Millat” and the “Iron Lady of Kashmir”, Asiya Andrabi, leader and founder of the Jammu & Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Shabbir Ahmed Shah and prominent leaders Yasin Malik, Masarat Alam Bhat, Mohammad Ashraf Sehraie and others," it added.

The FO said that the Kashmiri leaders have been languishing under squalid conditions in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in infamous Tihar and other jails while many other senior leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remain under house arrest.

"Imprisonment and torturing of Kashmiri leaders on the basis of their political ideology and struggle against illegal Indian occupation is a true reflection of the extremist mindset of the RSS-BJP regime which has no respect for the human rights of the Kashmiri people," it mentioned.

The Foreign Office urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, ICRC and human rights and humanitarian organizations, to take notice of the Indian government’s inhuman treatment of the Kashmiri leaders and raise its voice for their immediate release from illegal Indian detention.