Rawalpindi, (Parliament Times) : Health condition of the incarcerated Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik, who is languishing in solitary confinement at Tihar Jail Delhi, is fast deteriorating and during the last two months his body weight has receded to 65 kgs. Despite weight loss and other underlying medical issues, he is constantly being denied the necessary medical facility that is actually putting his life in danger. This was stated by his special representative and the chief spokesman of JKLF, Muhammad Rafiq Dar while briefing the party leaders in an informal meeting held today at the central information office.
According to the statement issued from party central information office that during his recent Delhi High Court virtual hearing in a case filed by NIA seeking his death penalty, Yasin Malik while trying to divert the attention of the judges referred about his deteriorating health condition and the continued weight loss due to the lack of proper medical facilities in the jail. Unfortunately the judges didn’t take any notice of his concerns, the spokesman added. The spokesman, while citing the examples of two writ petitions of 2021 and 2023 filed by his family expressing their concern over Yasin Malik’s deteriorating health condition in custody, had requested for his proper medical treatment by a specialist in a recognized hospital. Spokesman said that all these efforts went in vain because despite court orders to the Tihar jail authorities, Yasin Malik until now was not provided with the complete and proper medical treatment nor was he admitted in the All India Medical Institute, Delhi for relevant and necessary medical tests as his condition demanded so. The spokesman lamented on the Indian judicial system of toeing the government dictates instead of doing Justice especially when it comes to the Kashmiri pro-freedom leaders.
Rafiq Dar said that Geneva Convention and other international covenants make it mandatory for all signatory countries to provide every medical facility to political prisoners but it seems that the international community especially the champions of democracy and human rights have given India a free license to violate all these conventions and covenants. He said that Kashmiris as part of the global community seek justice from the global community and deplored their criminal silence over these atrocities.
According to the statement the spokesman said that a person like Yasin Malik who believes in nonviolent peaceful struggle for the cause of national liberation of Jammu Kashmir, and who promoted dialogue process for its resolution can in no way be victimized for his belief. Peaceful political struggle and asking for the right to self-determination of the people of the State of Jammu Kashmir supported overwhelmingly by the masses can in no way be treated and taken as a crime to be dealt with inhumanely and undemocratically, he explained.
Spokesman said that Indian rulers, Indian political leadership, the Judiciary, the security agencies, the civil society and the international community especially the diplomats are well aware about the struggle and sacrifices Yasin Malik has gone through in promoting non-violence but petty political and economic interests, and at times their uncalled for bias is stopping them from speaking truth and providing justice to this epitome of steadfastness, sacrifices, promoter of non-violence and the people’s representative.
Rafiq Dar said that it is worth mentioning here that the Incarcerated JKLF chairman is a chronic heart patient. He was diagnosed with a severe Aortic Heart Valve disease. His Valve was replaced with a Metallic Heart Valve in 1992 while he was then in custody and the veteran heart surgeon Doctor Venu Gopal along with veteran cardio specialist Doctor Upendar Koul looked after his health at AIIMS Delhi. After the surgery doctors advised him to take anticoagulant (Blood thinner Medicines) according to a prescribed dosage and go for regular International Normalized Ratio (INR) test for keeping a vigil at the functioning of Heart, blood coagulation etc. Chairman JKLF Yasin Malik had suffered a facial nerve paralysis in 1990 which is still active. He has been suffering with intermittent Coagulopathy for the last 25 years. He is suffering from recurrent renal stones, renal cortical cyst and had to go through five different surgeries for that at various Delhi hospitals.
Spokesman said that In October 2016, he suffered from left hydronephrosis, and also had severe cellulitis requiring hospitalization. Even before his arrest in 2019, he had to go through a medical procedure at SKIMS when a stone obstructed his renal system. As on today, he is having multiple active stones in his kidneys, he added. It is also worth mentioning that chairman JKLF visited the USA in 2001. It was basically a medical tour. In the United States of America he had to go through four different surgeries and medical procedures in his head and right ear which had developed a blood clot that was impeding his hearing ability. In 2018-19, doctors monitoring the health of Yasin Malik had advised him to go for Echocardiogram as they suspected some changes in his Metallic heart valve which is now about 30 years old. Echocardiograms showed a gradual deterioration of the valve and a gradient of 40 mms was recorded. He said that Yasin Malik’s personal physician, famous heart specialist professor doctor Upendar Koul while expressing his concerns had written in 2019 that ‘in view of Valve condition he is advised to repeat Echocardiography every six months to look for any progression which may need another open-heart surgery.
Spokesman said that in cases of grave medical emergencies the Tihar Jail authorities allow every prisoner to see any private doctor of his or her own choice but the incarcerated JKLF chairman is not even being taken to any hospital for proper and complete medical checkups and tests. He said that the health condition of incarcerated JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has now deteriorated to an alarming and life threatening level. The party spokesman while warning Indian government of dire consequences if anything untoward happened with Yasin Malik has appealed the United Nations, international community, world powers like USA, UK, EU and OIC including world human rights organizations, Indian and international civil society members and leaders to intervene immediately and do whatever is needed to safeguard the life of Muhammad Yasin Malik.
The JKLF chief spokesman announced the party’s decision of launching a vigorous “Aseer-e-Watan Freedom Campaign” by holding peaceful protest demonstrations, public gatherings, conferences and seminars in and outside the State of Jammu Kashmir to highlight his health condition. During the campaign the party has decided to reach out to the relevant international institutions and the world powers to garner their support in saving the precious life of Muhammad Yasin Malik, the most popular incarcerated pro-freedom political leader of the State, Rafiq Dar added.