Jailed Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah's daughter tops CBSE exams in occupied Kashmir

“My father was a source of inspiration for me and my mother a source of strength, so that I was able to focus on my study. Every time this came into my mind that when my father has been fighting for 50 years (out of that 31 years he has spent in jail only) and he’s still strong and he’s still fighting then why will I not study and why not take it as a positive point to make them feel proud,” said Sama, daughter of jailed Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah, who topped Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Examination, India.

In occupied Kashmir, Sama Shabbir Shah of Delhi Public School (DPS) Athwajan, has topped the CBSE-2018 12th class securing 97.8 percent marks, 489 out of 500.

The DPS, Athwajan, has topped among all the CSBE affiliated schools of the territory. The school has got 99.5 percent overall results in the exams, said Pro-Vice Chairman of DPS, Srinagar, Vijay Dhar.

Shabbir Shah has been incarcerated in Tihar jail, New Delhi, for the last one year.

Sama has achieved this feat in a situation which is proving testing for her and other family members after her father was arrested in an old and fabricated case in 2017.

Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti wrote on her social media account, “Congratulations to Sama Shabir Shah for securing 97.8% marks in the class 12th class examination. Her hard work & determination has helped her overcome all odds & she is truly an inspiration for the youth of our state.”