Shehbaz terms decision ‘a black day for Indian democracy and its justice system’
An Indian court on Wednesday sentenced the illegally detained Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, to life imprisonment in concocted cases to punish him for his leading role in the ongoing movement for Jammu and Kashmir’s freedom from Indian illegal occupation.
According to the report, India’s NIA had sought the death penalty before the court for Malik. The report, quoting Indian news agency PTI, said that the Kashmiri leader had submitted that he would not “beg” for mercy, and that court could decide at its discretion.
He maintained that if Indian intelligence can prove that he had been involved in any terrorist activity or violence in 28 years, then he would retire from politics, and will also accept the hanging.
The judge, however, said that since he has already been convicted, there was no point in arguing on the facts of the case and that he was already given the opportunity, the report stated. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the Indian court’s decision “a black day for Indian democracy and its justice system.
“India can imprison Yasin Malik physically but it can never imprison idea of freedom he symbolises. Life imprisonment for valiant freedom fighter will provide fresh impetus to Kashmiris’ right to self-determination,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.
