?srinagar: The core committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health of its illegally detained president, Shabir Ahmad Shah, stating that the authorities’ delaying tactics to prolong his detention amount to playing with his life.
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?The meeting of the core committee was attended by the party’s local leadership along with diaspora representatives, who joined from Islamabad, the United Kingdom, Europe, Saudi Arabia and the United States via video link.
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?The meeting strongly condemned the gross violations of political and human rights by Indian authorities, including the selective targeting of educational and religious institutions, the killing of innocent civilians, and the misuse of draconian laws to silence legitimate political voices.
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?The committee also denounced the continued and unlawful detention of party president Shabir Ahmad Shah and other Kashmiri prisoners, who have been languishing in Indian jails for years.
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?The meeting called for the immediate release of all Kashmiri prisoners and the restoration of fundamental rights and freedoms, including the rights to freedom of speech and expression, peaceful protest, and assembly, which have been severely curtailed since 2019.
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?The participants paid rich tributes to the party’s late Secretary General, Professor Maulana Muhammad Abdullah Tari, acknowledging his unparalleled contributions and steadfast role in the ongoing liberation struggle. Through a unanimous resolution, the committee paid respects to his lifelong struggle and his religious and intellectual services to society.
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?The core committee unanimously elected Dr. Ghulam Rasool as the party’s new Secretary General and expressed confidence that he would carry forward Professor Tari’s legacy, strengthen the party at the grassroots level, and pursue the party’s ideals with dedication and determination.
?The participants lauded party president Shabir Ahmad Shah for his unwavering resolve, patience, and perseverance, hailing him as a man of conscience, conviction and courage.
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?Reaffirming that Kashmir is a UN-recognized disputed territory, the meeting reiterated its call for a peaceful resolution of the longstanding dispute through dialogue and diplomacy involving all stakeholders.
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?The committee warned that authoritarian policies and the use of force to suppress dissent in the region would only lead to further instability and uncertainty rather than resolving the core issues.
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?The core committee urged the Government of India to abandon its policy of intransigence, acknowledge the ground realities, and engage with a constructive approach to resolve the dispute peacefully and ensure lasting peace in the region.
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?The meeting observed that peace and stability in South Asia was inescapably linked to a just and honourable settlement of the long-pending Kashmir dispute.