As Kashmir shuts down today at the call of Syed Ali Shah Geelani of the Joint Resistance Leadership to protest the deteriorating health of JKLF leader Yasin Malik, his Pakistan-based wife Mushal Hussein Mullick seeks international and Pakistani intervention, while India’s National Investigative Agency shows no signs of relenting and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti appeals for his immediate release.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik is battling indifference by the NIA and Tihar prison authorities, after his health deteriorated following sustained interrogation by the National Investigative Agency even when he was on hunger strike and his health was not good. After his detention following the recent ban imposed on JKLF, Yasin Malik was surreptitiously whisked away to Delhi without information to his family and lawyers. Till last reports, even his family is not being allowed to meet him and they get briefs about his health only from his lawyer.

Yasin Malik relinquished violence long back and now seeks self-determination for the people of Kashmir through peaceful and democratic means. From among the many pro-freedom Kashmir groups, he upholds the theory that it is the people of Kashmir who will determine their own destiny and neither India nor Pakistan have any role to play in this decision-making.

“If India can take the case of Kulbushan Jadhav to the International Court of Justice, surely Yasin Malik’s case too is a fit one to be taken up by the Pakistan government to the international body.”

Mushal Hussein Mullick, wife of Yasin Malik

With tears in her eyes, his wife Mushal Mullick, while addressing a press meet in Lahore yesterday said, “If convicted Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav can be allowed a family meeting by the Pakistan government, why should India not allow me and my daughter to meet Yasin Malik.” She sought immediate intervention of Western governments and the United Nations.  Appealing to the Imran Khan government, she asked, “If India can take the case of Kulbushan Jadhav to the International Court of Justice, surely Yasin Malik’s case too is a fit one to be taken up by the Pakistan government to the international body.”

“The life of ailing Yasin Malik who is admitted at RML Hospital Delhi is in danger and rulers and their agencies are busy in playing with his life callously,” said the Joint Resistance Leadership.

As Kashmir goes to the polls in the third phase of general elections, in a sharp reaction, Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti, while speaking to the media has said, “While BJP’s Pragya Thakur can be released from prison to contest elections, what is stopping Indian authorities from releasing Yasin Malik on health and humanitarian grounds?” She threatened that should anything happen to Yasin, it will have disastrous consequences and India will be fully responsible.

“While BJP’s Pragya Thakur can be released from prison to contest elections, what is stopping Indian authorities from releasing Yasin Malik on health and humanitarian grounds?”

Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir

A few days ago, as soon as the news of Yasin’s health condition was publicly known, in a swift move, the NIA announced that ‘their investigation is over.’ He was sent from police custody to judicial custody.

Hurriyat (M) chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed deep concern over his health and has also sought his immediate release. He said, “He is a people’s leader. His safety and well-being is the responsibility of the state which has detained him under the Public Safety Act.”

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The violent incident at Pulwama prompted Indian authorities into many knee-jerk reactions and statements. Apart from ‘teaching a lesson to Pakistan’, police and investigative agencies went into a tizzy in Kashmir. Many organisations were proscribed and the NIA reopened decades-old investigation into cases launched against pro-freedom Kashmir leaders. The JKLF was banned and its leader Yasin Malik was imprisoned and fresh investigation launched against him.

“It baffles me a lot that western powers which generally interact regularly with Yasin Malik have showed no public concern in the present case. I hope that they will soon exert diplomatic pressure on India.”

Kanwarpal Singh, spokesperson, Dal Khalsa

Among the few Sikhs who keep a tab on the developments in Kashmir is Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh, who regularly coordinates with the Hurriyat Conference on humanitarian and political issues relating to the Kashmir. Speaking to World Sikh News, Kanwar Pal Singh said, “I express full solidarity with Yasin and see his detention as Narendra Modi’s government’s sinister attempt to break his resolve to continue the fight for Kashmir’s Azadi. He must be released unconditionally.”

“It baffles me a lot that western powers which generally interact regularly with Yasin Malik have showed no public concern in the present case. I hope that they will soon exert diplomatic pressure on India,” added Kanwarpal Singh.

A coordination committee is in place among Sikh and Kashmir pro-freedom political groups since its formation in 2008. This author, along with Sikh political leaders and human rights activists, under the leadership of Justice Ajit Singh Bains, had an interaction with Yasin Malik in New Delhi in April 2008, and can say with without hesitation that Yasin is clear about his mission as well as his determination to work for a peaceful solution for the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

The trial of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, son of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani under draconian laws and holding elections in Kashmir despite minimal participation of the Kashmiri people shows a pre-meditated design to overawe pro-freedom leaders.

In its official reaction, the government of Pakistan has said, “Pakistan strongly condemns the continuing incarceration of Yasin Malik since February 22 on trumped up charges. We expect the government of India to ensure the well-being of Malik, including provision of adequate health care.”

The Joint Resistance Leadership statement issued in Srinagar reads, “NIA’s highhandedness has in fact forced senior resistance leader Muhammad Yasin Malik to go on hunger strike and today his hunger strike has entered into 12th day.”

“Yasin Malik was so badly ill-treated by the state and the National Investigative Agency, he was left with no choice but to go on a hunger strike. He, like other leaders in Kashmir, is a victim of political vendetta.  Since his detention, his family and even his lawyers were denied access to him. Even now while he is in hospital, his lawyers are not given free access.”

Prof. SAR Geelani, Committee for Release of Political Prisoners

It is my view that hunger strike as a democratic tool of protest while you are in custody is a bad idea, especially when you are dealing with an insensitive state, a biased judiciary and a rabidly communal police and jail staff.  Prof. S. A. R. Geelani of the Committee for the Release of Prisoners, while agreeing with me on this says, “Yasin Malik was so badly ill-treated by the state and the National Investigative Agency, he was left with no choice but to go on a hunger strike. He, like other leaders in Kashmir, is a victim of political vendetta.  Since his detention, his family and even his lawyers were denied access to him. Even now while he is in hospital, his lawyers are not given free access.”

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The New Delhi-based Tihar jail is pretty notorious for its attitude towards prisoners.  Prison authorities should be accommodating, loving, caring and counselling. On the contrary, they are inhumane, brute and biased.  How can anyone forget that recently a Muslim inmate was branded with the Hindu religious symbol “OM” by jail authorities?  Recently, one Pakistani prisoner died in Jaipur prison. All around the country, all prisoners and especially politically prisoners are denied basic fundamental rights and are subjected to grave humiliation on the basis of their religion or political orientation.

Sadly, all of this is lost on the people and civil society too, especially in the din of the highly surcharged election scenario across the country. Unquestionably, as conscientious actor-turned-candidate Prakash Raj, contesting elections from Bangalore North says, “There is a climate of fear and everyone is voting under that shadow of fear.”

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I pray for the good health and well-being of the suave, gentle Kashmir leader and hope that his 7-year old daughter Razia Sultana will be allowed to meet him soon.

The images of Yasin Malik’s mother, wife and daughter sobbing in public are heart-rending. I join them in appealing to the good sense of the powers that be.