Islamabad: Altaf Ahmed Bhat, Senior Hurriyat Leader and Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement, extends gratitude to Pakistan for unwavering support to Kashmiri Freedom struggle
In a statement issued here in Islamabad today, Altaf Ahmed Bhat, Senior Hurriyat Leader and Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement, extends heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their unwavering and steadfast support to the Kashmiri freedom struggle. Bhat acknowledges Pakistan’s consistent advocacy for the rights and aspirations of the Kashmiri people on various international platforms.
In his statement, Bhat emphasizes the critical role played by Pakistan in raising awareness about the plight of Kashmiris and garnering international attention towards the longstanding dispute. He underscores Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic, and political support as instrumental in amplifying the voices of Kashmiris on the global stage.
Furthermore, Bhat brings to light the plight of senior Hurriyat leader Muhammad Akbar Bhat, who has been unjustly detained in Indian jails. Muhammad Akbar Bhat has been languishing in detention both before and after 5th August 2019, when the Indian government unilaterally abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.
Bhat condemns the Indian authorities’ use of draconian laws to prolong the incarceration of Kashmiri political prisoners like Muhammad Akbar Bhat. He highlights the systematic abuse and torture faced by Kashmiri detainees solely for their political beliefs, which he asserts is a grave violation of human rights and international law.
As Bhat continues to advocate for the release of Kashmiri political prisoners, he urges the immediate release of Hurriyat leaders including APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Muhammad Akbar Bhat, Aasiya Andrabi, Dr Abdul Hameed Fayyaz, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Naheeda Nasreen, Fehmeeda Sofi, Ayaz Muhammad Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Syed Shahid Yousuf, Syed Shakeel Yousuf, Muhammad Yusuf Falahi, Muhammad Rafiq Ganai, Bilal Siddiqi, Maulvi Bashir Ahmed, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Umar Adil Dar, Sharief Sartaj, Hayat Ahmed Butt, Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo, Ghulam Qadir Butt, Muhammad Shafi Shariati, Showkat Hakeem, Merajuddin Nanda, Zahoor Ahmed Butt, Shabir Ahmed Dar, Firdous Ahmed Shah, Jahangir Ghani Butt, Saleem Nanaji, Sajad Hussain Gul, Muhammad Yasin Butt, Malik Noor Fayaz and others languishing in different jails of India and IIOJK.
He urges the international community to intervene and exert pressure on India to uphold the principles of justice and respect the rights of Kashmiri detainees. He calls upon the world to stand in solidarity with the Kashmiri people and demand an end to the unlawful detention and mistreatment of political prisoners in Indian jails.