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The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
Curious case of Zubair Bhat: Kashmiri youth's mysterious death in Delhi, flashpoint in Srinagar
Flanked by Bhat's sister and brother at their residence in Aali Kadal of Srinagar, Iltija Mufti, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, said Bhat had informed his sister about the police taking his Aadhaar card and assaulting him with sticks. Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti Thursday alleged that Bhat was killed after torture and discrimination by the Delhi Police and a hospital in the national capital. New Delhi: A day after allegations of torture, the Delhi Police has denied arresting 30-year-old Srinagar resident Zubair Ahmed Bhat. In fact, they say they got a call from the Safdarjung Hospital only after his admission to the hospital by the personnel attached to the police control room. The police control room, officers claim, had received a call that Zubair was showing symptoms of seizures in front of the residence of a doctor in Lajpat Nagar. 'There is proper proof. He was a 30-year-old man who was the sole breadwinner for the family. He was in the handicrafts business. The family is saying that after he reached Delhi, police personnel at Lajpat Nagar caught and beat him up and repeatedly assaulted him the next day when he went back to take back his Aadhaar card,' Mufti told the press Thursday. 'He was also asked if he was a Kashmiri. Being Kashmiri is enough for people to hang us. What was his fault that he was Kashmiri?' Mufti also alleged that doctors at a Delhi hospital denied him treatment. Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also paid a visit to Bhat's family residence in Srinagar. 'Mirwaiz assured the family that he stands with them and the people in their pursuit of justice for Zubair. He reaffirmed his commitment to continue raising his voice against injustice and to seek accountability, so that such tragic incidents are not repeated,' his office said in a statement Friday. Ms. @IltijaMufti_ speaks to media on Zubair Ahmad Bhat sb's tragic demise in Delhi. — J&K PDP (@jkpdp) June 5, 2025 However, the Delhi Police have refuted the allegations citing no relation and engagement with him in respect to any case or proceedings. South East Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Hemant Tiwari said there was no case or any proceedings ongoing with regards to Bhat and that the police did not question him or arrest him even for a brief period of time. 'The police had no role and link to Bhat. He was neither a suspect nor a stakeholder in any case. He was not at all arrested or even questioned by the police,' DCP Tiwari told ThePrint. PCR call by doctor & suspicion of prolonged drug abuse Explaining the sequence of events leading up to Bhat's death around 11.30 pm on 29 May, Delhi Police officers said Bhat was first noticed the same evening by a doctor in front of her residence in Lajpat Nagar area of the national capital. 'A call was made to the Delhi Police control room at 6.07 pm on 29 May when an eye specialist employed at Safdarjung Hospital spotted him with symptoms of seizures. She made a call saying that an unknown man was in front of her house and also raised suspicion about being a drug addict in the PCR call,' a Delhi Police officer told ThePrint. The PCR team picked him up from the Lajpat Nagar area and admitted him to the Safdarjung Hospital emergency department which recorded 'multiple injection marks on the left cubital fossa (front of elbow joint)' on his body, the Delhi Police officer further said. In the investigation for the treatment, doctors sought urine samples for detection of drug remains in his body, the officer further said. Another police officer said that a preliminary probe conducted so far suggests that Bhat used to be in Delhi for six months a year and was employed by a Lajpat Nagar-based businessman who used to sell Kashmiri shawls at Dilli Haat. 'He used to stay in the ground floor of the accommodation of his employer.' On the morning of 27 May, Bhat had allegedly called his employer seeking Rs 50,000 for shopping for his sister's wedding. After agreeing, the employer asked him to return to his accommodation. However, he did not go there and instead went to a hotel in the national capital but not before buying four strips of Tapentadol for Rs 2,000 from a chemist that he used to visit regularly, the police officer has said. 'Between December last year to May, he has bought Tapentadol, a well-known opioid worth Rs 29,000 from the same shop. He did not stay at his usual accommodation but instead proceeded to stay at a hotel after acquiring the drug,' said another police officer. Police officers said that Bhat's sister called him on the afternoon of 28 May, but he did not take the call. But he messaged her on Whatsapp to tell her that the police had beaten him up 'because he was Kashmiri' and taken his Aadhaar card. 'Shortly after, he said that he was in a hotel,' the officer said, adding there was CCTV footage from the hotel confirming his presence at the time he claimed he was with the Dehi Police. 'Later that night he also had to break open his room door as he had lost his key. Even that incident has been captured in the CCTV footage,' he added. The cause of death has been suspected to be encephalopathy due to drug abuse and 'altered sensorium due to drug intoxication', the police officer further said. Sources said that around 25 people who had gathered around him in Lajpat Nagar area before he was taken to hospital by Delhi Police PCR van have confirmed his status at the time the police arrived. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also Read: What is the 2017 Kotkhai custodial death case that led to life term for Himachal IGP, 7 other cops
Business Recorder
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
No peace in South Asia without Kashmir dispute resolution: APHC
ISLAMABAD: All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Sunday said that clouds of war will remain hovering on the horizon of South Asia as long as the Kashmir dispute, the oldest one on the UN agenda is not resolved in the light of UN Security Council resolutions and in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC vice Chairman Ghulam Ahmad Gulzar in a statement in Srinagar terming the Kashmir dispute a major impediment to stability and progress in South Asia said that in order to avert the looming catastrophe, this issue must be resolved permanently on the basis of justice without any further delay. Gulzar said it is not only a significant bottleneck, hindering the bilateral relationship between India and Pakistan, but also has a catastrophic impact on the lives of ill-fated Kashmiris who have been subjected to violence for nearly eight decades. APHC vice chairman said that the Kashmir issue is an Apple of discord and a major source of tension, wars and political and economic instability. 'The present standoff between India and Pakistan has again proved that it is a volcano and, if neglected, may potentially lead to nuclear war in the region,' he warned. Terming just the resolution of this core issue a prerequisite, he said that the Kashmir issue is not a territorial or border dispute but a human issue relating to the well-being of millions of Kashmiris. Demanding justice for hapless Kashmiris, he warned that if this volatile issue is not resolved on the principle of justice, peace and stability will remain elusive. Advocating tripartite dialogue on Kashmir, he said Kashmiris are not warmongers but peaceful people, and they want a peaceful resolution to the issue. Reiterating that APHC' s principal stand, he impressed upon India and Pakistan to start meaningful, result-oriented, and time-bound dialogue and include Kashmiris' genuine leadership in the process to reach an honourable and permanent settlement. He also stressed the need for a conducive atmosphere for any dialogue process and impressed upon India to stop human rights violations, withdraw its troops, repeal all black laws, and release all political prisoners in Kashmir. While welcoming the offer for mediation from US President Donald Trump, UN secretary general Antonio Guthrie' s, Turkey, Iran, and other countries, Gulzar said that third-party mediation can lead to an amicable and just resolution of the dispute. He said that no occupation lasts forever Kashmiris' resilience will outlast India's repression as history is witness that empires fall, but the spirit of resistance survives. The APHC leader appealed to the international community to come forward, intervene, and implement UN resolutions on Kashmir for the permanent peace in the region.
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Indian court declares Kashmiri leader as 'proclaimed offender'
Listen to article The Indian court under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement JKSM Altaf Ahmed Bhat a Proclaimed Offender (PO). The NIA court issued a charge sheet against Bhat from Srinagar who has been residing in Pakistan since 1990s. The court accused him of involvement in multiple cases. It also ordered his arrest and production in court authorising Indian police to apprehend him wherever he may be found, including in Pakistan. In response to the development, Altaf Ahmed Bhat strongly condemned the Indian court's decision. In a statement, Bhat said, "Kashmiris will not be intimidated by India's nefarious tactics. No amount of oppression or arrests will deter us." He further criticised the Indian government for exploiting the Pahalgam incident as a pretext to launch Israel-style operations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir IIOJK. According to Bhat, these operations have led to the mass demolition of homes, the displacement of Kashmiri families, and the expulsion of Kashmiri students from Indian educational institutions. He highlighted that over 4,000 innocent Kashmiris have been arrested, with many families torn apart mothers separated from sons, wives from husbands and children from parents resulting in what he described as a "heartbreaking humanitarian tragedy unparalleled in the modern world." Kashmir has become a nuclear flashpoint, pushing both India and Pakistan two nuclear-armed nations to the brink of war, said Bhat. He called on international organisations and the United Nations to take immediate and meaningful action to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. "Delaying a just resolution to the Kashmir issue could lead to catastrophic consequences for the entire region," he concluded.
The Star
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Pakistan asks Gulf allies to help ease India tensions following Kashmir attack
Supporters of All Parties Hurriyat Conference take part in an anti-India rally, in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan's controlled Kashmir, Friday, May 2, 2025. - AP ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's prime minister met Friday (May 2) with envoys from Gulf allies, seeking to defuse tensions with India following last week's deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region, his office said. In separate meetings with the Saudi, Kuwait and UAE ambassadors, Shehbaz Sharif briefed them on Islamabad's stance regarding the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 people, mostly Hindus, were killed. India has blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge Islamabad strongly rejects. Following "credible intelligence' from a Pakistani minister that India intended military action over Pakistan's alleged role in the Pahalgam tourist attack, Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar have received calls from the United States and other nations' diplomats, according to Sharif's office and Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs. The international community has encouraged both sides to exercise restraint. Sharif's office stated Friday that he had urged "brotherly countries, including Saudi Arabia, to press India for de-escalation and the defusal of tensions,' reiterating Pakistan's commitment to peace and stability in South Asia. Tensions have been high in the South Asian region since last week's attack in Kashmir, a situation exacerbated by retaliatory actions between the two nuclear-armed rivals, including the expulsion of diplomats and citizens, border closures and airspace shutdowns. India has also suspended a critical water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. Sharif told UAE's ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi that Pakistan had no involvement in the attack on tourists and said he offered to join a credible, transparent and neutral international investigation, according to Sharif's office. In a meeting with the Saudi ambassador, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliky, the prime minister briefed him about the latest situation. In response, the Saudi envoy said the Kingdom wanted to work with Pakistan for peace and security in the region, the statement said. Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from the former British colonial rule in 1947. The Indian army said Friday in a statement it responded to "unprovoked' small arms fire from Pakistan for the eighth consecutive night in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Naushera and Akhnoor areas of Indian-controlled Kashmir. There was no immediate comment from Pakistan. No casualties were reported in the latest exchange of fire in Kashmir. Also on Friday, more than 200 members of civil society and political parties rallied in Muzaffarabad, the main city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, denouncing India's steps against Pakistan. - AP
Business Recorder
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
The Pahalgam incident
EDITORIAL: The horrific attack in the scenic Pahalgam region of Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) that left 26 tourists dead — among them a newly married young navy officer on his honeymoon — and dozens others wounded, cannot be denounced enough. According to press reports, the gunmen separated men from women before killing them in cold blood. No known Kashmiri militant group has taken responsibility for the attack; instead, a mysterious entity calling itself 'The Resistance Front' has claimed credit for the carnage. Without waiting for the police investigation, India's shrill electronic media immediately started to pin the blame on 'Pakistan-backed terrorists.' Meanwhile, Umar Farooq, Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella organisation of pro-independence groups, strongly condemned the attack saying such violence is unacceptable and against the ethos of Kashmir 'which welcomes visitors with love and warmth' and that his thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families. Significantly, this rare attack on tourists comes at a time US Vice President JD Vance has been visiting India along with his family. If the so-called Resistance Front does exist and had wanted to publicise its cause, it should have known better. As expected, Vance extended 'condolences to victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam' while President Donald Trump assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the US' full support following the 'Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir'. Most likely, it has been a false flag operation, just like the one that coincided with the March 2000 India visit by the then US President Bill Clinton. Some 36 Sikh men in Chitisinghpora in Anantnag district of IIOJ&K were similarly massacred by unidentified gunmen after separating them from women. The Sikhs were, and are, considered a neutral party in the fight between the Kashmiri freedom fighters and India. The real Kashmiri resistance had no reason to target the Sikhs then and the tourists now. Yet LK Advani, a prominent BJP leader at the time, in an apparent attempt to make an impression on Clinton had described the brutality as part of a Jihadist strategy to clear Kashmir of other faiths. The former president, though, reportedly was unconvinced. In fact, he has been quoted as having said 'if I hadn't made the trip, the victims would probably still be alive.' A reporter for the New York Times Barry Bearak as well as two independent investigations reached a similar conclusion, laying the blame for the killings at the Indian government's door. The 'extremely condemnable and heartbreaking' incident has drawn telling remarks from Congress party leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. 'Instead of making hollow claims about the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir', he said, 'the government should now take accountability and take concrete steps so that such barbaric incidents do no happen in the future, and innocent Indians do no lose their lives like this.' Unfortunately, the Modi government claims to have resolved the Kashmir issue, and yet uses it to accuse Pakistan of backing terrorism to justify the unjustifiable and also to cover up its own sponsorship of Pakistan-centric terror outfits. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
