Death in custody of Kashmiri leader: Pakistan summons Indian diplomat

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned Indian Charge d’Affaires (Cd’A) on Tuesday and conveyed a strong protest over the inhuman custodial death of Hurriyat leader Altaf Ahmed Shah, who remained imprisoned in the infamous Tihar Jail for the last five years.

“The Indian Charge d’Affaires (Cd’A) in Islamabad was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and conveyed Government of Pakistan’s strong protest over the inhuman custodial death of Hurriyat leader Altaf Ahmed Shah,” Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said.

He said that it was deplored that despite Pakistan’s expression of serious concerns over Altaf Ahmed Shah’s sharply deteriorating health, as well as, his daughter’s letter addressed to the Indian Prime Minister apprising him of Shah’s precarious health condition, the Indian government remained completely indifferent.

“The government of India not only failed to provide satisfactory medical care to Altaf Ahmed Shah who was suffering from renal cancer but also created inordinate delays in his hospitalization and essential diagnostic tests,” he said.

Even more heart-wrenching is the fact that the Indian authorities remained adamant in denying Shah’s family access to meet him while deliberately delaying the court hearing of his bail plea on humanitarian grounds, he said.

He said that it is evident that Altaf Ahmed Shah was victimised and punished because he was the son-in-law of revered Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani and a true representative of the Kashmiri people. “His death is the consequence of the Indian government’s wilful and deliberate negligence, utter disregard for human rights and its systematic campaign to suppress and brutalize the Hurriyat leaders,” the spokesperson added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022