Muzaffarabad, AJK — Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore on March 24, 2026, strongly condemned the life imprisonment sentence awarded to prominent Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi and the 30-year prison terms given to her associates Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen by an Indian court.
In a statement posted on X, the AJK premier described the verdict as a clear manifestation of “political coercion” aimed at silencing dissent and suppressing the legitimate voice of the Kashmiri people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He said the decision was not about justice but an instrument to criminalise peaceful political expression and intimidate those advocating for the internationally recognised right to self-determination.
I strongly condemn the sentencing of Asiya Andrabi, along with Fehmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, by an NIA court in New Delhi. These verdicts are not about justice—they are instruments of political coercion aimed at silencing dissent in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
1/3 pic.twitter.com/savQx5q5EM— Faisal Mumtaz Rathore (@PMofAJK) March 24, 2026
Key Highlights
- AJK PM Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore condemns life sentence to Asiya Andrabi and 30-year sentences to Fehmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen.
- Verdict described as “political coercion” to silence Kashmiri voices and suppress legitimate struggle for self-determination.
- Asiya Andrabi, founder of Dukhtaran-i-Millat, convicted under India’s draconian UAPA law.
- Leaders urge UN and international human rights organisations to take immediate notice and hold India accountable.
- Pakistan reaffirms unwavering support for the Kashmiri people’s just cause.
Prime Minister Rathore emphasised that targeting women for their political beliefs laid bare the deep bias in the Indian system. He urged the United Nations and global human rights bodies to intervene and ensure the release of all Kashmiri political prisoners. “The people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir cannot be subdued through intimidation. Their resolve for freedom, justice and dignity will endure,” he added.
Several other Kashmiri leaders also reacted strongly. Uzair Ahmed Ghazali of Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir called the sentences a stark example of injustice and politically motivated retribution. Altaf Ahmed Bhat of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference described the case as fabricated under the “draconian” UAPA and accused Indian authorities of using judicial processes as tools of repression.
Pakistan has consistently raised its voice against human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The latest sentencing once again highlights the shrinking space for peaceful political expression and the systematic suppression of Kashmiri voices. The government and people of Pakistan stand in complete solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for self-determination as enshrined in relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The nation prays for the safety and early release of Asiya Andrabi and her associates, and reaffirms its unwavering support for the Kashmiri cause until justice is served and the long-pending plebiscite is held.
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