Mehbooba Mufti, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq call for reviewing life sentence awarded to Asiya Andrabi

Srinagar, Mar 25: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday called for reviewing the life sentence of separatist Asiya Andrabi and reducing it to the earlier provision of 14 years.

“This life imprisonment till the person is alive should be abolished in the whole country. It should be 14 years like it used to be before,” Mufti told reporters here.

Pleading for her release on compassionate grounds, Kashmir’s chief preacher, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Wednesday said the life imprisonment handed down to Andrabi stood out for “severity and harshness.” A special NIA court on Tuesday sentenced Andrabi to life imprisonment for conspiring to wage war against India, observing that any leniency for the Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief would only “infuse fresh vigour” into her efforts to secede Kashmir.

The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir also called for reconsidering the life term sentence given to Andrabi on humanitarian grounds.

“We have differences with her ideology and her way of doing things, but humanity requires that, as she is an aged woman who has already spent several years in jail, her sentence should be reconsidered,” Mufti said.

The PDP president said Andrabi should be released on parole.

“I appeal that it (sentence) should be reconsidered. The Government of India has already released many people on parole. She should also be released on parole, even if it is conditional, and her conviction should be reviewed on humanitarian grounds,” she said.

Mirwaiz, in a post on X said, “The sentencing of Asiya Andrabi sahiba and her colleagues Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen is a matter of concern. Given the years already spent in detention, the sentence stands out for its severity and harshness.” The former Hurriyat Conference chairman hoped that the case of Andrabi and her associates would be reviewed on compassionate grounds.

“We hope that in line with democratic principles, and on humanitarian grounds, their case be reviewed with sensitivity and compassion, especially considering Asiya ji’s age and health and they be released,” he added. (PTI)