Veteran Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Ashraf Sehrai passed away on Wednesday (today) at the age of 78 while being in Indian custody.
Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai was a prominent Kashmiri leader who led Kashmiris’ struggle for right of self-determination for several decades. He was the chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and was notable voice against illegal Indian occupation of the disputed valley.
Ashraf Sehrai was suffering from various medical issues and passed away while being in illegal Indian custody as he was arrested in July 2020 under the notorious Public Safety Act.
According to his son Mujahid Sehrai, the veteran Kashmiri leader was deprived of essential medical treatment while being illegally incarcerated.
The family had even filed a plea in court back in April seeking proper medical assistance for Ashraf Sehrai. However, the court failed to review it in due time.
Ashraf Sehrai was a close associate of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and was a life-long member of Jamaat-e-Islami. During his six-decade-long political career he was arrested and jailed multiple times due to his vocal opposition to illegal Indian occupation of IoK.
He was an icon of resistance in the Kashmiris’ struggle for their right to self-determination and suffered lifelong persecution at the hands of India. Mr. Sehrai braved his son Junaid Sehrai’s extrajudicial martyrdom last year with exemplary fortitude. Despite his personal loss, he continued his struggle against India’s oppression and illegal occupation.
Condemnations And Condolences Over Ashraf Sehrai’s Demise
Pakistan has offered condolences over Ashraf Sehrai’s death and has strongly condemned his illegal detention and him being deprived of essential healthcare facilities which led to his demise.
The Government and the people of Pakistan are deeply grieved at the demise of senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir Chairman Ashraf Sehrai in Indian custody as he remained incarcerated in Indian jail under squalid conditions despite serious deterioration of his health and the prevailing COVID-19 crisis, said the statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
Pakistan has also underscored that several Kashmiri leaders including asiya Andrabi, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Syed Shahid Yousuf, Shakeel Ahmed, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Fehmeeda Sofi, Nahida Nasreen, Zahoor Ahmed and many others are still being illegally detained by Indian authorities.
Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmiri people in their rightful struggle against Indian oppression till the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Security Council Resolutions, the statement added.
Minister of Human Rights of Pakistan – Sheerin Mazari, SAPM on National Security Division – Mooed Ysuf and Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir – Shehryar Afridi took to social media to offer condolences and condemn his death in illegal Indian detention.
Illegally jailed Hurriyat ldr Ashraf Sehrai was martyred while in the notorious Udhampur prison since July 2020. Last year, his son Junaid Sehrai, was martyred fighting Indian Occupation forces in Srinagar. Kashmiris will not be silenced by Indian fascism.https://t.co/PLQrBozvik
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) May 5, 2021
Deeply saddened on the death of Hurriyat leader Ashraf Sehrai. He dedicated his life for Kashmir’s self-determination. Many more Kashmiri leaders are at risk in IIOJK. It is India’s responsibility to release all those detained on political grounds to create conducive environment.
— Moeed W. Yusuf (@YusufMoeed) May 5, 2021
Today we have lost another iconic Kashmiri resistance leader,longest & dearest companion of leader Syed Ali Geelani Sahib. I got the news while chairing @KCPak4 meeting & Kashmir Commite has passed a unanimous Resolution to pay tributes to Sehrai sb#SehraiMurdered#MedicalMurder pic.twitter.com/EOOxwtweOy
— Shehryar Afridi (@ShehryarAfridi1) May 5, 2021
When a state can’t take care of its own people, how could it ever look after the health of political dissidents it has declared as enemies and imprisoned? There is no difference between killing and actively creating conditions of someone’s death. https://t.co/vvUN7tBkVJ
— M Junaid (@mjunaidr) May 5, 2021
Meanwhile, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHP) has called for a strike to be observed on Thursday (tomorrow) as a form of protest against Ashraf Sehrai’s death under ‘mysterious’ circumstances and failure of Indian authorities in providing essential medical services to him.
