SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir leaders have urged the central government to take a humanitarian view on jailed separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who is battling a life-threatening illness.
“Request @HMOIndia to urgently consider the heartfelt appeal of Seher Shabir, whose father, Shabir Shah, is battling a life-threatening illness. In this critical moment, we urge the GOI to take a humanitarian view by ensuring he receives proper medical care. This may be the family’s last chance to ease his suffering. Please let compassion guide the response,” Mehbooba posted on X in response to a video message from the jailed separatist leader’s daughter.
Shabir Shah, 74, has been in Tihar jail since 2017. He is facing trial on various charges, including terror funding and money laundering.
Shah’s daughter Sehar in a video post said, “This is not a political message and this is not anti-national in any way but a daughter's humble, heartfelt and urgent appeal for compassion, for justice and for basic human dignity”.
“My father has now spent 38 years in imprisonment without a single conviction, and in July 2025, he will complete 39 years and enter his 40th year of imprisonment,” she said.
“We came to know through our lawyers that he has been advised of three urgent surgeries, one of which is pending for over three years. There is also growing concern about possible prostate cancer and serious kidney complications,” she said.
While reacting to Shabir Shah’s daughter's video message, J&K’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said, “In these testing times, our prayers and solidarity are with Sehar Shabir Shah, daughter of the steadfast voice of Kashmir, Shabir Shah Sahib. May her courage never waver, and her father’s health be restored. No child should be kept from her ailing parent."
The NC MP from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah, has written a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah in which he wrote that Shabir Shah is now 70 years old and by every humane and legal standard, he is entitled to medical treatment with dignity and fairness.
“His doctors have recommended three surgeries for serious medical conditions, which include life-threatening prostate cancer. Despite the gravity of his condition, he has remained incarcerated since 2017, without family support. Our country has legal and moral obligations, under both its Constitution and international treaties to ensure that prisoners are treated with humanity,” he said.
The MP urged the Home Minister to ensure that Shabir Shah is provided with dignified medical care in a facility equipped for cancer treatment.
"This process must involve his family in all medical decisions, as permitted by law. The measure of a nation is how it treats its weakest. Let us not fail that test,” he added.
Peoples Conference chairman and MLA Sajad Gani Lone called for immediate medical attention and family access for Shabir Shah."Shabir Shah is not well. And getting treatment is a very basic right. I humbly stand with his loved ones in demanding that he be allowed access to proper medical facilities — and the very basic right of being surrounded by his family as he fights for his health,” he said.
“He is suffering from life-threatening ailments which require urgent medical intervention, and most likely surgery. He is over 75 years old — the best way forward would be to involve his family. He would want to be near his loved ones when wheeled in for surgery,” Lone said.
Lone had urged Lt Governor to show humanitarian consideration and facilitate his home custody until his medical issues were resolved.
J&K Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari also called for providing the best medicare to jailed separatist leader.“Ideological differences must never come in the way of basic human rights. The incarcerated separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah should be provided with the best possible medical care for his ailment, in a manner that satisfies both him and his family,” Bukhari said.
"I request the Union government to ensure Shabir Shah receives timely and proper medical attention without delay,” he said.
Hurriyat Conference leader and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed grave concern over the health of Shabir Shah and other Kashmiri prisoners. “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,” he said.
Mirwaiz appealed to the Government of India and the concerned authorities not to make the process the punishment for the leadership and all other Kashmiri political prisoners, and immediately intervene to ensure that due medical care is extended to Shabir Shah 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,” he added.