Engr Amir Muqam, APHC leadership condemn sentences of Kashmiri leaders, calls for global action

ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP): Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit Baltistan and SAFRON Engr Amir Muqam on Thursday strongly condemned the sentencing of prominent Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment, along with 30-year jail terms awarded to her associates Fahmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, terming the move a “grave injustice” and a violation of fundamental human rights.

Addressing a joint press conference organised by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) in Islamabad, Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam said the verdicts reflect political victimization and an attempt to suppress dissent in Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that judicial mechanisms are being used as tools to sustain what he described as “illegal policies,” raising serious concerns about the impartiality of the system.

Highlighting the human rights situation in the region, Engr Amir Muqam claimed that thousands of Kashmiris have suffered over the decades. He cited figures indicating that more than 96,000 people have been killed since 1989, while tens of thousands have been injured, widowed, or subjected to violence. He stressed that these statistics represent profound human tragedies affecting countless families.

Referring to developments following August 5, 2019, Amir Muqam criticized India’s revocation of the region’s special constitutional status, stating that it led to widespread restrictions on communication, movement, and freedom of expression. He said these measures have further exacerbated the humanitarian situation.

Engr Amir Muqam reiterated Pakistan’s continued political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. He noted that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar have consistently raised the issue at international forums, including the United Nations.

He urged the international community, particularly organizations such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, to take immediate notice of human rights violations and push for the release of political prisoners.

Describing the Kashmir issue as both a humanitarian crisis and a threat to regional stability, Engr Amir Muqam warned that tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors could escalate if the dispute remains unresolved. He called for a peaceful resolution in line with United Nations resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, including the holding of a free and impartial plebiscite.

APHC Convener Ghulam Muhammad Safi and Madam Shamim Shawl also spoke on the occasion and rejected the verdict outright, describing it as part of a broader pattern of repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

The press conference concluded with an expression of solidarity with detained Kashmiri leaders and a reaffirmation of Pakistan’s commitment to supporting their cause at all levels.

Senior Hurriyat leader Mehmood Ahmad Sagar, Haji Muhammad Sultan, Sheikh Yaqub, Haji Muhammad Sultan, Zahid Safi, Imtiaz Wani, Syed Gulshan, Adeel Mushtaq, Manzoor Dar, Muhammad Shafi Dar, Muhammad Ashraf Dar and Mushtaq Ahmed Butt were also present.
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