Kashmiri leaders seek family’s presence during separatist Shabir Shah’s cancer treatment in Tihar jail

Several Kashmiri leaders on Friday urged the central government to allow the presence of imprisoned separatist leader Shabir Shah’s family during his treatment for cancer in Tihar jail on humanitarian grounds.

Hurriyat Conference leader and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while delivering Friday sermons in Srinagar’s Jama Masjid, said, “Reports of Shabir Shah Sahab’s serious health condition in Tihar Jail, and denial of access to his family members to speak to him over the phone for the past two years, or care for him when he is facing such a medical emergency and is in dire need of a surgery, is very unfortunate and disturbing. I spoke to his wife yesterday, who told me that the family’s bail plea in light of his grave medical condition has also been rejected, and she does not know how to help him.”

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“Same is the case with most other political prisoners, who, due to prolonged incarceration and subhuman jail conditions, are suffering from grave health issues. The prolonged imprisonment, devoid of due legal process, is in itself a punishment. This goes against the very principles the Indian legal system claims to uphold — the basic human rights of prisoners, violating the core ideals of human dignity, due process, and justice,” he said.

“I fervently appeal to the Government of India and the concerned authorities not to make the process the punishment for the leadership and all other Kashmiri political prisoners. I urge them to immediately intervene and ensure that Shah Sahab receives the necessary medical care and that his family is granted access to be with him when he needs them the most. I also appeal to the elected government of J&K to raise this serious issue and provide every possible assistance in this matter,” Mirwaiz added.

In a post on X, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti wrote, “Shabir Shah, incarcerated in Tihar Jail for a considerable period, is reportedly suffering from prostate cancer & is in urgent need of surgery. Deeply unfortunate that the Courts have barred his family from being present during his treatment. Appeal to the Home Secretary Govind Mohan ji to kindly intervene on humanitarian grounds & ensure that due compassionate care is extended in this critical time and that his family is allowed to be by his side at this difficult hour.”

People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone also urged the government to involve Shabir Shah’s family during the surgery.

He urged Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to “ideally facilitate home custody until his medical issues are sorted out. The least we can do is to have his family around him,” Lone added.