Pakistan condemns continuing detention of Yasin Malik

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the continuing detention of Yasin Malik, Chairman Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), since 22 February 2019, on trumped up charges.

According to a statement released by Foreign Office (FO), Malik was arrested earlier under the draconian Public Safety Law and in spite of his critically worsening health was shifted to the notorious Tihar jail.

Despite serious ill health and in violation of legal rights, ethics and norms, the family of JKLF’s chairman was not been permitted to meet him, the statement read.

“Given the previous history of the Indian government’s mistreatment and violation of human rights of Kashmiri leaders, frequently subjecting them to torture and imprisoning them under fabricated charges due to their political beliefs, the apprehensions of Mr. Malik’s family members and Kashmiris in general about the safety and health of Mr. Malik are not justified.”

The statement added that Malik’s incarceration is yet another link in the series of steps taken by India to continue its intensified oppression of the Kashmiri people struggling for the realization of the legitimate right to self-determination.

“Indian draconian laws, including the Public Safety Act, which are in blatant violation of fundamental human rights, which grant immunity to Indian occupation forces to operate with impunity, to arrest (upto two years without trial) and kill innocent Kashmiris, without any fear of prosecution, have also been strongly criticized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UK All Party Parliamentary Kashmir Group,” the FO said.

Coercive Indian measures and brutalities against Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir will not change the universally accepted reality of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, but will only aggravate the situation, the statement continued.

“We expect the Government of India to ensure the well-being of Mr. Malik, including provision of adequate health care and call upon the international community to impress upon India to desist from such inhuman actions, abolish draconian laws like PSA and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).”

The FO further urged India to expedite the resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.