‘Plea for compassion’: Jailed Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah’s daughter seeks aid for ailing father; Mehbooba urges GoI to intervene

Srinagar: Seher Shabir, daughter of jailed Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah, has made an emotional appeal to the Government of India, seeking immediate medical care for her ailing father, who has spent nearly four decades in prison without conviction.

“This is not political. This is not anti-national. This is not against any country, institution, or government. This is only about my father’s life. His health. His right to be treated with dignity,” she wrote in a post shared online tagging Home Ministry of India and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.

Shabir Shah, 70, is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. According to his daughter, he is battling multiple serious health conditions, has been advised several surgeries, but continues to be denied adequate medical treatment, access to records, or even basic communication rights like phone calls.

“He has spent 38 years in prison. No conviction. No justice,” Seher said. “In two years, not a single phone call has been allowed. We, his family, are kept away. I have watched him suffer in silence behind soundproof walls, iron grills, and broken microphones. We cannot even touch him.”

Calling this a “daughter’s plea for compassion,” she added, “If justice means anything, let it speak now. Not when it is too late. Because if silence wins again, remember — you were told. You knew. And you chose to look away.”

Seher also clarified that her earlier efforts to speak publicly had been misunderstood, causing distress to her mother and sister. “But how long can one remain silent while watching their father like this?” she asked.

The heartfelt appeal has drawn support from former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to take immediate action.

In a post on X, Mufti said: “Request @HMOIndia to urgently consider the heartfelt appeal of Seher Shabir whose father Shabir Shah is battling a life-threatening illness. In this critical moment we urge GOI to take a humanitarian view by ensuring he receives proper medical care. This may be the family’s last chance to ease his suffering. Please let compassion guide the response.”