Srinagar: Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah to reconsider the cases of jailed leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including Shabir Shah, Asiya Andrabi, Engineer Rashid and Mehraj Malik on humanitarian basis and release them immediately.
Mirwaiz, while addressing Friday congregation at historic Jama Masjid, said such steps would go a long way in winning the hearts of people of Kashmir and earning their good will. “Hundreds of Kashmiris, young and old, from all walks of life continue to languish in jails for years and even decades, many under draconian laws, merely for holding dissenting views. Their mental and physical health has been gravely affected, and their families continue to suffer immensely,” said Mirwaiz, adding, “Among those imprisoned are political leaders, including Shabir Shah, Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi, Aftab Shah, and even the likes of Engineer Rashid and Mehraj Malik who remain behind bars.”
