SRINAGAR: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities have framed charges under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Mian Abdul Qayoom, former President of the High Court Bar Association, in a politically motivated case linked to the assassination of advocate Babar Qadri.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mian Qayoom, 77, is a well-known advocate of the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in line with the United Nations resolutions. He was arrested in June last year and is being falsely implicated by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) to punish him for his principled stand on the Kashmir dispute.
During the major uprising, post 2008 in Kashmir, he was at the forefront of anti-India demonstrations and his calls for shutdowns coincided with the calenders issued by Hurriyat, the SIA said.
The agency added that he was very close to the veteran Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Shah Gilani, whom he regarded as his political ‘guru’. He had also declared in open court during High Court proceedings that he neither considered himself a citizen of India nor believed in the Indian Constitution, the SIA chargesheet had said.
“In a significant development in the high-profile murder case of Qadri in September 2020, the special designated court under the NIA Act has formally framed charges under Sections 16, 18, and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Qayoom,” an official said. He said the charges pertain to terrorism and conspiracy to commit a terrorist act.
Legal experts and human rights defenders maintain that the charges are part of a larger campaign to silence pro-freedom voices in the occupied territory. They pointed out that India has a history of using fabricated cases and draconian laws to intimidate Kashmiri political leaders, lawyers, journalists and activists demanding resolution of the dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Observers stress that Mian Qayoom’s victimization reflects New Delhi’s nervousness over the growing global attention on the Kashmir issue, while underscoring the worsening climate of repression in the occupied territory.
Your blog is a breath of fresh air in the crowded online space. I appreciate the unique perspective you bring to every topic you cover. Keep up the fantastic work!