The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has said that thousands of Kashmiri political prisoners, including Hurriyat leaders, have been illegally lodged in jails and Indian authorities are doing everything to prolong their detention. According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, in a statement issued in Srinagar, said that over 3,000 political prisoners, including APHC leaders, youth and activists, are languishing in different jails in India and IIOJK. He said India is using investigating agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), State Investigation Agency (SIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a tool to victimize Kashmiris for their stand.

He urged the United Nations and other world bodies to help secure the release of illegally detained Hurriyat leaders, including APHC Chairman Masarrat Alam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Aasiya Andrabi, Fehmeeda Sofi, Naheeda Nasreen, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Shahid-ul-Islam, Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Molvi Bashir Ahmed, Bilal Siddiqi and others languishing in different jails. The APHC spokesman hailed its illegally detained leaders for their courage and steadfastness.

Terming the ongoing spree of oppression, cordon and search operations, house raids and summoning of youth to police stations as the worst form of state terrorism, the APHC said India and its puppet LG regime have given occupation forces a free hand to terrorize, arrest and harass Kashmiris. These Indian forces, including police personnel, enjoy immunity from prosecution and perpetrate state terrorism with impunity and brazenness, the statement deplored.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)