Court awarding life imprisonment to Malik a setback to peace efforts: PAGD

The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Wednesday termed "unfortunate" the life imprisonment awarded to Malik by a Delhi court in a terror funding case and said it is a "setback"

The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Wednesday termed "unfortunate" the life imprisonment awarded to Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik by a Delhi court in a terror funding case and said it is a "setback" to the efforts for peace.

The court verdict will only fuel more alienation and separatist feelings, PAGD spokesperson M Y Tarigami said in a statement here.

Besides the life term, Special Judge Praveen Singh on Wednesday awarded varying jail terms for various offences under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Indian Penal Code to Malik, the chief of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). All the sentences will run concurrently.

The court also imposed a fine of over Rs 10 lakh on Malik.

"Life imprisonment given to Yasin Malik is unfortunate and a setback to the efforts for peace. We are afraid that this will further compound the uncertainties in the region and will only fuel more alienation and separatist feelings," Tarigami said.

He said the NIA court has delivered its verdict "but not justice".

The PAGD also suggested Malik to avail all legal opportunities to contest the verdict.

Hitting out at the ruling BJP and a section of the media, Tarigami said, "The triumphalism being displayed by the BJP and the corporate media is bound to prove counterproductive."

The PAGD is an alliance of six mainstream political parties, including the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, in Jammu and Kashmir demanding restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019. The alliance is headed by NC president Farooq Abdullah.

Malik was convicted on May 19 in the case related to funding terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir after he pleaded guilty to all the charges framed against him.