Conflict

JK govt moves top court for shifting seven under-trial Pakistani prisoners to Tihar, alleges they are ‘indoctrinating local inmates’

FILE PHOTO FOR REPRESENTATION.

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government Friday moved the Supreme Court of India seeking transfer of seven under-trial Pakistani prisoners lodged in Jammu Jail to Tihar, stating that the under-trial prisoners have allegedly been indoctrinating the local prisoners. The top court issued a notice to the Government of India and the Delhi government with the same.

Representing the JK government, standing counsel Shoaib Alam requested the court that in case the prisoners cannot be shifted to Tihar jail, they could be transferred to other high-security prisons in Haryana and Punjab, PTI reported.

A Bench of Justices L N Rao and M R Shah said it will hear the matter and asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure that a copy of the notice is served to the seven under-trial prisoners as well.

This occurs after a CRPF convoy was attacked in Lethpora area along the Srinagar-Jammu highway in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14, killing 49 armed forces’ personnel. The attack was claimed by militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Recently, the Rajasthan government removed two officials and suspended two others after a Pakistani prisoner, Shakarullah alias Mohammad Hanif alias Amar Singh Gill, 45, had been murdered in the Jaipur central jail on Wednesday with the FIR lodged into the incident confirming that the prisoner had died on spot, Indian Express reported.

Fresh tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after the attack with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi requesting United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gueterres to step in.

Gueterres on Tuesday urged that India and Pakistan exercise ‘maximum restraint’ and offered to mediate for de-escalation.

The IANS report stated that a UN spokesman said that they were ‘deeply concerned’ about the situation.

“The Secretary General stresses the importance for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalation, and his good offices are always available should both sides ask,” the UN chief’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was quoted as having told reporters Tuesday at the daily press briefing, according to PTI.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, following the attack, said that the country had become ‘‘synonym for terrorism’.

At a public function in Pandharkawada in Yavatmal district, where he launched a number of projects, Modi said, “A nation which came into existence after Partition and encourages extremist activities, and which is on the verge of bankruptcy, has now become the second name for extremism,” Modi said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in his televised speech, addressed the allegations of India towards Pakistan.

“We’re hearing voices of the media, the people, the politicians from India saying that ‘Pakistan should be taught a lesson…we should exact revenge from Pakistan…we should retaliate with a surgical strike’. First of all, which type of country or law allows any other country or person to be the judge, jury or executioner of such situations? In which realm of justice does this fall into?” he asked, via a televised video.

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