Srinagar, Aug 12: Muhammad Bin Qasim, elder son of pro-freedom leader Dr Muhammad Qasim Faktoo, presently lodged in Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) Humhama here, on Thursday alleged that his father was being treated as a ‘criminal’.
 Qasim told Greater Kashmir that in contravention of High Court orders his father, Dr Faktoo, who has served the life imprisonment was shifted from the Central Jail Srinagar to JIC Humhama 2-weeks ago. 
 “We have learnt that he has been kept in a cell and is being treated like a dreaded criminal. He is ill and his health is deteriorating in absence of medical facilities. If something untoward happens to him, the Government will be responsible for it,” Qasim alleged. 
 He said the High Court had directed the Government to release Dr Faktoo within 3-months. “Even after expiry of the deadline, he has not been released and rather shifted to JIC. A convict can’t be shifted to a sub-jail. His shifting is a contempt of Court. We will soon be taking legal recourse,” he added.
 He said Dr Faktoo was not being allowed to meet anybody. “I make a fervent appeal to the International human rights organizations to take cognizance of the matter and give us justice,” he added.
 Dr Faktoo has achieved the distinction of being the longest serving convict of Kashmir with over 16- years of detention.
 Pertinently, Dr Faktoo was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2003 on charges of involvement in the murder of human rights activist, Hriday Nath Wanchoo, in 1992— a charge he has been denying vehemently. 
 Dr Faktoo who is the husband of Dukhtaran-e-Millat chairperson Aasiya Andrabi, was first arrested in 1993 under the Public Safety Act. Though after seven years of imprisonment, the TADA court acquitted him of all the charges, he was rearrested in 2000 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, in 2002 when he was returning from London after participating in a conference on Kashmir dispute.
 On June 3, 2008, the Government had constituted a review board comprising then DGP Prisons and Principal District and Sessions Judge Srinagar, to consider Qasim’s release under the provision of J&K Jail Manual, 2000.
 Though the Review Board after examining all aspects of the case had recommended Dr Qasim’s release last year, the Government and security agencies strongly opposed its implementation saying the (Review) Board had erroneously considered the matter which was outside its scope.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST