ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Monday summoned Indian Charge d’Affaires and conveyed government of Pakistan’s serious concerns over the deteriorating health condition of Hurriyat leader Altaf Ahmed Shah and urged the Indian government to immediately provide medical care to him and release him from prison.

“The Indian Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday and conveyed Government of Pakistan’s serious concerns over the deteriorating health condition of Hurriyat leader Altaf Ahmed Shah who has been incarcerated at the infamous Tihar Jail for the last five years,” Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said.

He said the Indian Cd’A was told that the Indian authorities’ failure to provide adequate medical care to Shah, who has been diagnosed with renal cancer, was extremely disappointing. “As a result of this negligence, Shah’s condition is worsening and the cancer is spreading to other parts of his body.”

“It was noted with deep regret that despite repeated appeals by the family of Altaf Ahmed Shah, including letters addressed to the Indian prime minister, no action has been taken with regards to his health condition,” he said, adding the Indian government’s callousness was evident from the fact that Shah had still not been hospitalised. Despite the doctor’s advice to arrange his diagnostic tests urgently in order to assess the extent of the disease, the tests were carried out after inordinate delays, he added.

He said it was deplorable that the Indian authorities continued to deny Shah’s family permission to meet him, adding the court hearing of his bail plea on humanitarian grounds was also being delayed. “It is evident that Shah is being victimized and punished for being the son-in-law of revered Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani,” he added.

He stated that the Indian Cd’A was told to convey to Government of India, Pakistan’s demand that Altaf Ahmed Shah be immediately provided medical attention and released from prison.

“The government of India has also been urged to desist from targeting the true representatives of the Kashmiri people by means of illegal incarcerations and mischievous implications in fictitious cases in a bid to stifle the voice of the Kashmiri people,” he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022