PM Shehbaz wants world to take note of India's 'mistreatment of political prisoners in IIOJK'

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on the world to take note of the Indian government's "mistreatment of political prisoners in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)" and hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime accountable.

Last week, a court of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) convicted IIOJK Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin in a case registered against him. He has been charged with terrorist acts, illegally raising funds, being a member of a terrorist organisation and criminal conspiracy and sedition.

During the trial, Malik protested the charges and said he was a freedom fighter. “Terrorism-related charges levelled against me are concocted, fabricated and politically motivated,” his organization, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front cited him as telling the court.

“If seeking Azadi (freedom) is a crime, then I am ready to accept this crime and its consequences,” he told the judge.

Indian court convicts Yasin Malik of ‘terrorism’

In a tweet today, PM Shehbaz said that the conviction of a prominent Kashmiri leader on "fake terrorism charges is futile effort to silence voices critical of India's blatant human rights abuses."

"Modi regime must be held to account," he added.

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Following the Indian court's verdict, Yasin's wife Mushaal, urged the international community to take notice of her husband's trial. She demanded the United Nations to intervene and stop the Indian government from convicting Yasin.

Back in April, Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control and the rest of the world observed black day to mark a strong protest against the visit of Modi to the IIOJK. The call for observing black day against Modi’s visit to IIOJK was given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and was supported by the Azad Jammu Kashmir government. The observance of the black day was also aimed at registering protest against continual forced Indian occupation.

Earlier this month, the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to denounce the latest attempt at demographic engineering in IIOJK, through the “delimitation commission” constituted in March 2020. The resolution was moved by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the house for passage. The house unanimously passed the resolution.