J&K Leaders Worried Over Jailed Separatist Shabir Shah’s Failing Health

SRINAGAR: Jailed separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah’s reported deteriorating health has become a significant concern for the Kashmiri political leaders -both separatist and mainstream-who have urged the government to provide him with adequate medical care.

74-year-old Shah, who is lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail for the past about eight years, faces trial on various charges including terror funding and money laundering. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July 2017 in the alleged money laundering case dating back to 2005. The Union home ministry had in October 2023 declared the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) headed by Shah as an unlawful association and banned it for a period of five years under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.

The family sources claim that the harsh conditions of Shah’s incarceration have contributed to health problems, notably a suspected prostate cancer and repeated occurrence of infections. “His health deteriorated significantly in the recent months and poor medical aid is causing a range of negative consequences,” the sources said.

“For years, my husband has shown commendable strength and patience, but today his health is deteriorating rapidly. He needs medical attention more than ever before. His weight has decreased precariously, he struggles with several serious symptoms, and prison doctors have expressed concern about his declining condition,” Shah’s wife Dr. Bilquies Shah said.

She said, “Multiple doctors have advised three surgeries and emphasised the need for both pre-operative and post-operative care—treatment that cannot be adequately provided within the prison system. He is elderly and suffers from several underlying health conditions, which make the situation even more critical”. In a signed statement, she added, “On top of that, we do not have access to his medical records. We are given no updates or information. We do not know his current state of health. All we know is that he has been advised to undergo surgeries. This is a humanitarian crisis. This is the primary reason I am writing this piece. This is not a plea for sympathy—it is a cry for humane treatment under the law.”

Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of separatist Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while addressing worshippers in Srinagar’s Jama Masjid said that reports of Shah’s “serious health condition” in Tihar Jail, and “denial of access to his family members to talk to him on phone for the past two years, or care for him when he is facing such a medical emergency and is in dire need of a surgery”, is “very unfortunate and disturbing”.

He said, “I spoke to his wife yesterday who told me that the family’s bail plea on his grave medical condition too has been rejected and she does not know how to help him.” He added, “I fervently appeal to the Government of India and the concerned authorities not to make the process the punishment for the leadership and all other Kashmiri political prisoners, and immediately intervene to ensure that due medical care is extended to Shah Sahab, and his family is allowed access to be with him when he needs them the most. I also appeal to the elected government of J&K to raise this serious issue and provide every assistance that they can in this matter.”

While speaking to this newspaper, the Mirwaiz said that he is concerned about Shah’s declining health also because the death of another Kashmiri prisoner Altaf Ahmed Shah alias ‘Fantosh’ lodged in Tihar jail due to renal cell cancer at New Delhi’s AIIMS in October 2022 had indicated a potential case of medical negligence or failure to provide adequate care during incarceration.

Former chief minister and president of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti took to social media platforms to express her concern over Shah’s failing health. “Shabir Shah incarcerated in Tihar Jail for a considerable period is reportedly suffering from prostate cancer and is in urgent need of surgery,” she said. She added, “Deeply unfortunate that the courts have barred his family from being present during his treatment”.

Mufti appealed to Home Secretary Govind Mohan “to kindly intervene on humanitarian grounds and ensure that due compassion care is extended in this critical time and that his family is allowed to be by his side at this difficult hour”.

CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that in view of Shah’s deteriorating health and considering his advanced age and multiple comorbidities, “it is imperative that he be granted bail so that his family can provide the necessary pre- and post-operative care in a stable and supportive environment.” He said that pending bail, Shah may be placed under house arrest on humanitarian grounds to ensure he receives adequate care.

“I earnestly request Home Minister Amit Shahji to kindly consider intervention ,within his capacity, for a humane resolution given the serious health concerns involved. There are enough precedents of bail being granted in similar medical situations,” Tarigami said in a post on ‘X’.

Bilquies Shah said that her husband has spent nearly 39 years of his life in prison and for the past two years the family is not being allowed to speak with him even over the phone.

“As his wife, I can only explain the pain and helplessness we feel every single day. Our family consists of just me and our two daughters—three women left to carry this burden alone. Earlier, we were allowed occasional phone calls, but for about two years now, even those have been stopped. We have zero contact with him. No phone calls, no updates. We do not know how he is doing.” She added, “We approached the court about this matter, but there have been several hearings with no respite. This is beyond our personal emotional tolerance now. Not knowing how he is doing—especially given his health—is deeply disturbing.”

Her statement also reads, “He has never raised a weapon, never incited violence, and yet he continues to remain incarcerated without a single conviction in any criminal court. Shabir Shah is not just a political figure; he is a symbol of peaceful resistance and moral strength.”

She has demanded that Shah should be shifted to a suitable place in Delhi and placed under house arrest so that proper medical aid could be provided to him and he also receives care and support of his family. “What is unfolding before our eyes goes against every principle the Indian legal system claims to uphold. It violates the very idea of dignity, decency, and due process. I am not seeking privilege. I am only asking for what is just and humane—for him to be allowed to receive medical treatment outside the prison, even under house arrest if necessary”. She added, “To allow an aged, ailing man to waste away in a cell without cause or conviction is to send a message that justice has lost its soul. And that is a message no democracy should ever send”.