Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday appealed to the government of India to permit the family of jailed Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah to be present during his cancer treatment in Tihar Jail, citing humanitarian grounds.
Mufti, a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, posted on social media platform X about Shah’s deteriorating health. “Shabir Shah, imprisoned in Tihar since 2017, is reportedly battling prostate cancer and urgently requires surgery. It is deeply unfortunate that the courts have denied his family the right to be with him during his treatment,” she wrote.
Calling for urgent intervention, she added, “I request Home Secretary Govind Mohan ji to intervene compassionately and ensure his family is allowed to be by his side during this critical phase.”
A report in Hindustan Times, quoting sources close to Shah’s family, said he has been recommended surgery but is unwilling to proceed without a family member present.
“He hasn’t had any phone contact with his family in two years, except during rare visits to Tihar that occur after long gaps. Unlike other inmates, Shah is not allowed phone calls, and the family often remains uninformed about his medical condition,” they told the newspaper.
They further revealed that Shah’s current health status was brought to the family’s notice through the relative of another inmate. Doctors attending to him have suggested surgery, but Shah has expressed the need for a family member’s presence.
Shabir Shah, now 74, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on July 25, 2017, in connection with a 2005 money laundering case.
