Islamabad: Chairman of Kashmiri Institute of International Relations (KIIR) Altaf Hussain Wani in a letter addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, drew her attention towards political victimization of Kashmiri woman leader, Aasiya Andrabi, by Indian government and its judiciary in Tihar jail.
Altaf Wani stated that the false charges against Aasiaya Andrabi are based on a frivolous report prepared by the Indian secret agencies with malafide intentions. “Implicating Ms Andarabi and her two associates in fake and fabricated cases is the worst example of political vendetta and an attempt to suppress and silence her,” the letter said.
It said, the KIIR remains seriously concerned over the illegal and continuous detention of Ms Andarabi and other under-trial political prisoners who are being punished for speaking truth to power and raising the voice for the voiceless in Kashmir.
Altaf Wani said that Aasiya Andrabi is the Chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) seeking a peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute. She is also one of the prominent and frontline Kashmiri women activists who has been a vociferous critic of Indian government’s hardliner Kashmir policy. He said that Ms Andarbi, 60, an under-trial prisoner has been languishing in New Delhi’s notorious Tihar Jail over the past two years despite suffering from multiple acute ailments. Her health in the prison had deteriorated to alarming levels.
“While Ms Andarbi has been left to rot in the prison without any trial, in the meantime, a Delhi Court has formally ordered framing of charges against Aasiya Andrabi and her two associates Nahida Nasreen and Sofi Fahmeeda, for allegedly waging war against India,” the letter added.
The letter said that Indian judiciary had been virtually unable to provide justice to Kashmiri detainees.
Michelle Bachelet was asked to take cognizance of the plight of Ms Andarabi and other Kashmiri detainees and use her good offices to ensure safety and early release of all Kashmiri prisoners languishing in different jails within and outside Kashmir.
