Ensure treatment of ailing jailed separatist leader Shabir Shah, allow family to meet him: Mirwaiz, Mehbooba to Centre

Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday (June 20, 2025) urged the Central Government “to ensure the treatment of incarcerated separatist Shabir Shah”.

“Reports of Shabir Shah Sahab’s serious health condition in Tihar Jail, and denial of access to his family members to talk to him on phone for the past two years, or care for him when he is facing such a medical emergency and is in dire need of a surgery, is very unfortunate and disturbing,” the Mirwaiz, who led the Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid, said.

He said Mr. Shah’s wife had filed a bail plea “on his grave medical condition”, but was rejected. “The prolonged imprisonment, devoid of due legal process, has made the process their punishment. It is against the very idea that the Indian legal system claims to uphold — the basic human rights of the prisoners, violating the very idea of human dignity, due process and justice,” the Mirwaiz said.

He appealed to the Government of India and the authorities “to immediately intervene to ensure that due medical care is extended to Shah Sahab, and his family is allowed access to be with him when he needs them the most”.

“I also appeal to the elected government of J&K to raise this serious issue and provide every assistance that they can in this matter,” the Mirwaiz said.

Ms. Mufti also expressed concern over Mr. Shah’s health conditions. “Shabir Shah incarcerated in Tihar Jail for a considerable period is reportedly suffering from prostate cancer & is in urgent need of surgery. Deeply unfortunate that the Courts have barred his family from being present during his treatment. Appeal the Home Secretary Govind Mohan ji to kindly intervene on humanitarian grounds & ensure that due compassion care is extended in this critical time and that his family is allowed to be by his side at this difficult hour,” Ms. Mufti said.

Mr. Shah headed the separatist organisation, Democratic Freedom Party, which was banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2023. Mr. Shah was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2017 in an alleged terror financing case. In the past, Mr. Shah was among key separatist figures who engaged in the backchannel dialogue with the Centre.

The Delhi High Court on June 12 refused a bail plea of Mr. Shah, saying he was “involved in a number of criminal cases, all of which relate to the conspiring for the secession of Jammu and Kashmir from India.”