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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed regret over the demise of veteran Kashmiri leader Ashraf Sahrai who passed away under Indian custody in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement on Twitter, the prime minister said that India’s oppression of Kashmiris is a blot on the international community’s collective conscience. He said Pakistan will continue to support Kashmiris’ just struggle for the right to self-determination in accordance with UNSC Resolutions.
The 80-year-old senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai passed away after a brief illness in Indian custody in occupied Jammu.
He was detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and was admitted to Government Medical College (GMC) in occupied Jammu on Tuesday after his health started deteriorating at Kot Bhalwal jail.
He was suffering from multiple diseases and was not provided any treatment during his incarceration, while his family members were kept unaware of his health condition
Deeply saddened by demise of Kashmiri ldr Ashraf Sehrai in illegal Indian custody. India’s oppression of Kashmiris is a blot on int community’s collective conscience. We will continue to support Kashmiris’ just struggle for right to self-determination in acc with UNSC Resolutions
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 5, 2021
The Foreign Office had also expressed deep grief over the demise of senior Kashmiri leader Ashraf Sehrai in Indian police custody.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri in a statement said the senior Kashmiri leader was apprehended last year on trumped-up charges under the draconian Public Safety Act in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Ashraf Sehrai remained incarcerated in Indian jail under squalid conditions despite the serious deterioration of his health and the prevailing COVID-19 crisis, the spokesperson said.
He said, “As the COVID-19 situation in India deteriorates, we also remain deeply concerned over the health and safety of the incarcerated Kashmiri leaders as well as other innocent Kashmiris, languishing in jails at undisclosed locations.”
“Most of these jails are overcrowded and do not have any provision for precautions against the COVID-19,” the spokesman regretted.
READ MORE: Pakistan expresses grief over demise of senior Hurriyat leader Ashraf Sehrai
The Foreign Office said reportedly, some of the Kashmiri leaders in Indian jails have already contracted coronavirus but unfortunately are not even provided medical treatment.
Given the worst pandemic situation in India, the Indian Government must immediately release the incarcerated Kashmiri leadership and all innocent Kashmiris, it added.
The spokesperson called upon the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross to urge India to drop all fabricated charges against political leaders of IIOJK and provide them complete legal protections, including the right to a free and fair trial.
It added that Pakistan, on its part, will continue to support the Kashmiri people in their rightful struggle against Indian oppression till the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Security Council resolutions.
