ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday strongly criticised the life imprisonment sentence handed to prominent Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi, along with 30-year jail terms given to her associates Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen by a Delhi court.
Andrabi, founder of the Dukhtaran-i-Millat (Daughters of the Nation), was convicted under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), with prosecutors alleging her involvement in a conspiracy to carry out militant activities.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, the FO described the verdict as a “grave miscarriage of justice” and said it reflected the “continuing suppression of fundamental rights” in India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“Pakistan views this decision as part of a broader pattern of politically motivated prosecutions aimed at silencing dissenting voices and intimidating those advocating the legitimate rights of the Kashmiri people,” the statement said. “The sentencing raises serious concerns regarding due process, judicial independence, and adherence to international human rights obligations.”
The FO noted that Andrabi has long been an outspoken advocate for the Kashmir cause, adding that her conviction highlights a “shrinking space for political expression and civil liberties” in the region.
It further stated that such developments risk worsening tensions and harming prospects for peace and stability in South Asia.
The FO urged the international community, including the United Nations and global human rights organisations, to take notice of the situation and hold India accountable.
It also called for the “protection of the political, social, and human rights of the Kashmiri people, including the right to freedom of expression and a fair trial”.
“Pakistan reiterates its unwavering support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for self-determination, as enshrined in relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the statement concluded.
Separately, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore also condemned the verdict, calling it an act of “political coercion” aimed at suppressing dissent in the region.
