Pakistan rejects sentences awarded to Kashmiri leaders, terms verdict politically motivated
APHC-led Islamabad press conference condemns Indian court rulings, calls for release of political prisoners and global intervention
Islamabad: An important and well-attended press conference was held in Islamabad under the auspices of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, where Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, APHC Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, Madam Shamim Shawl, and other prominent Hurriyat leaders participated.
The participants strongly rejected and condemned the sentences handed down by Indian courts, including life imprisonment for Asiya Andrabi and 30-year prison terms each for her associates Fahmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen.
Addressing the press conference, Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam stated that the Government of Pakistan completely rejects what he termed an unjust, biased, and politically motivated decision. He said the verdict raises serious questions about India’s judicial system, which, instead of delivering justice, is increasingly being used to serve political objectives. He maintained that there is no credible, transparent, or admissible evidence against Asiya Andrabi, adding that her only “fault” was raising an effective voice for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and freedom.
He further said that such actions negate India’s claims of democracy and expose its true face before the international community. He added that India has been involved in systematic state repression, extrajudicial measures, and serious human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for decades, yet continues to deny the reality that the Kashmiri people’s spirit of resistance cannot be suppressed by force.
APHC Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi, in his remarks, said that Asiya Andrabi, Fahmida Sofi, and Nahida Nasreen are being punished solely for raising their voices against what he described as India’s illegal occupation and for demanding the internationally recognized right to self-determination in accordance with United Nations resolutions. He recalled that this right had also been promised to the Kashmiri people by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, a commitment he said was later reneged upon.
He added that labeling Kashmir as an “integral part” of India contradicts ground realities and cannot justify the denial of the Kashmiri people’s fundamental political and human rights. He reaffirmed that Kashmiris will continue their legitimate and historic struggle at all costs.
Madam Shamim Shawl also strongly condemned the sentence awarded to Asiya Andrabi, stating that her role in the Kashmir freedom movement will always remain part of its most distinguished and inspiring chapters. She said that repression in the region has reached alarming levels, but due to the absence of a free media, the full extent of the situation is not being adequately highlighted globally.
Participants of the press conference paid rich tribute to the courage, resilience, and unwavering determination of Asiya Andrabi, Fahmida Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, and all detained Hurriyat leaders, terming their sacrifices an unforgettable asset in the history of the Kashmir freedom movement.
The speakers urged the international community, the United Nations, and global human rights organizations to take immediate notice of ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, press India to release all political prisoners without delay, and ensure the Kashmiri people are granted their recognized right to self-determination.
At the conclusion of the press conference, participants reiterated their firm resolve that the Kashmiri people will continue their struggle for freedom until its logical conclusion and will make every possible sacrifice to achieve their birthright of self-determination.