Pervaiz Mughal
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Engineer Ameer Muqam, along with Convener All Parties Hurriyat Conference Ghulam Mohammad Safi, Madam Shamim Shawl, and other prominent Hurriyat leaders, strongly condemned the sentencing of senior Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Aasiya Andrabi and her associates by Indian courts during a joint press conference.
According to details, Aasiya Andrabi has been sentenced to life imprisonment, while her associates Fahmida Sufi and Nahida Nasreen have been handed 30-year prison terms. Addressing the press conference, Engineer Ameer Muqam said the Government of Pakistan completely rejects what he termed an unjust, biased, and politically motivated verdict.
He stated that the convictions raise serious questions about India’s judicial system, which, he said, is increasingly being used as a tool to achieve political objectives rather than deliver justice. He emphasized that no transparent, credible, or acceptable evidence has been presented against Aasiya Andrabi, adding that her only “crime” was raising her voice for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and freedom.
The minister further said that such actions expose the reality behind India’s claims of democracy and highlight its continued repression in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that India has been involved in systematic state oppression, extra-judicial actions, and serious human rights violations in the region for decades, but remains unable to suppress the spirit of freedom among the Kashmiri people.
Convener All Parties Hurriyat Conference Ghulam Mohammad Safi, in his remarks, said that the only “offense” of Aasiya Andrabi, Fahmida Sufi, and Nahida Nasreen was their demand for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations resolutions. He recalled that this right had been acknowledged internationally and was also promised by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, a commitment that was later not honored.
Safi further stated that labeling Kashmir as an “integral part” of India contradicts ground realities and cannot justify the denial of fundamental political and human rights to the Kashmiri people. He reiterated that the Kashmiri people will continue their legitimate and historic struggle for freedom at all costs.
Speaking on the occasion, Madam Shamim Shawl strongly condemned the sentencing of Aasiya Andrabi and said that her contributions to the Kashmir freedom movement would always be remembered as a significant chapter in history. She added that the level of oppression in Occupied Kashmir has reached alarming levels, but due to the absence of independent media, the full extent of the situation is not being presented to the world.
Participants of the press conference paid tribute to the courage, resilience, and steadfastness of Hurriyat prisoners, including Aasiya Andrabi, Fahmida Sufi, and Nahida Nasreen. They termed their sacrifices as a valuable and enduring part of Kashmir’s freedom struggle.
The speakers called upon the international community, the United Nations, and global human rights organizations to take immediate notice of the ongoing human rights violations in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. They urged increased pressure on India to release all political prisoners and to grant the Kashmiri people their internationally recognized right to self-determination.
The press conference concluded with a reaffirmation of the unwavering resolve of the Kashmiri people to continue their struggle until the realization of their fundamental right to self-determination.
Other Hurriyat leaders and representatives, including Mehmood Ahmad Sagar, Haji Muhammad Sultan, Sheikh Yaqub, Zahid Safi, Imtiaz Wani, Syed Gulshan, Adeel Mushtaq, Manzoor Dar, Muhammad Shafi Dar, Muhammad Ashraf Dar, and Mushtaq Ahmed Butt, also attended the press conference.
