Kashmiri leader Mushaal Hussein Mullick, wife of jailed Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik, has accused India of being involved in terrorism and targeted killings worldwide, asserting that diplomatic efforts alone will not yield results for Kashmir.
She has urged Pakistan to take Yasin Malik’s case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), similar to how India had presented the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, aserving Indian Navy commander, was arrested in March 2016 by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan on charges of espionage and terrorism. Pakistan then releived that the working for India’s intelligence agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), and carrying out subversive activities to destabilise the country.
In his trial at a military court, Jadhav had confessed to his involvement in terrorism, and was sentenced to death in 2017, prompting a diplomatic standoff between India and Pakistan. India denied the espionage allegations and took the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), arguing that Pakistan had violated Jadhav’s rights under the Vienna Convention by denying consular access.
The ICJ, after being approached by India, had ordered a stay in his execution through an interim order and ordered Pakistan to grant Jadhav consular access. However, Jadhav remains in Pakistani custody, and diplomatic tensions over his case continue.
Mushaal Mullick has now drawn parallels between India’s move to take Jadhav’s case to the ICJ and Pakistan’s inaction regarding Yasin Malik, urging that Pakistan must take similar legal steps to fight for Kashmiri leaders imprisoned by India.
Speaking at the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Mishal Malik alleged that her mother was recently poisoned and killed, highlighting what she called India’s covert operations and cross-border terrorism.
'Why Can’t Pakistan Take Yasin Malik’s Case to ICJ?'
Mishal Malik questioned why Pakistan has not taken Yasin Malik’s case to the ICJ, especially when India managed to bring the case of convicted spy Kulbhushan Jadhav before the international court.
"If India can take the Kulbhushan Jadhav case to the ICJ, why can’t Pakistan take Yasin Malik’s case there?” she asked.
She dismissed the idea of negotiations with India, stating that dialogue holds no value and will not lead to any resolution. “There is no benefit in extending an invitation for talks to India,” she asserted, emphasizing that legal action in international courts is now necessary.
Calls for Stronger Political Action on Kashmir
Mishal Malik however welcomed Pakistan’s army chief’s statement about fighting ten wars for Kashmir, calling it a positive stance. However, she stressed that it is the responsibility of politicians to effectively present the Kashmir issue before global leaders.
She urged political leaders to go beyond mere speeches and take concrete actions, including:
- Following up on diplomatic initiatives
- Organising large-scale rallies and protests
- Pushing for international legal interventions
"Kashmiri Leaders Are Being Silenced"
Mishal Malik also criticised the Indian judiciary, stating that Kashmiris have never received justice from Indian courts. She alleged that India is engaged in a systematic campaign to eliminate Kashmiri leadership, imprisoning all key leaders to weaken the movement.
“Our entire movement is being leaderless through a deliberate strategy. All our leaders have been thrown into jails. The world saw how Syed Ali Geelani was martyred, and yet no one was held accountable,” she said.
She called on Pakistan’s legal and diplomatic communities to take decisive steps in international forums to challenge India’s actions in Indian-illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
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