'Verdict delivered, not justice': Gupkar alliance terms life sentence to Yasin Malik unfortunate

Yasin Malik. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Wednesday termed life imprisonment awarded to Yasin Malik, a separatist leader from Jammu and Kashmir, in a terror funding case "unfortunate", and said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has 'delivered verdict, but not justice'.

In a press statement, the PAGD expressed its fear of the decision backfiring and enhancing the separatist feeling in Jammu and Kashmir further. "Life imprisonment given to Yaseen 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," the statement read.

"The triumphalism being displayed by the BJP and the corporate media is bound to prove counterproductive," it added. The PAGD, in its statement, also suggested that Yasin Malik should avail all legal opportunities to contest this verdict. The NIA court while sentencing life imprisonment to Malik also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh. He was sentenced to life imprisonment twice (one for waging war against the nation and one in UAPA sec 17 raising fund for terror act). NIA had sought the death penalty for the separatist leader who was convicted on May 19.

On May 10, Malik had told the court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him that including Section 16 (terrorist act), 17 (raising funds for the terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act) and 20 (being a member of terrorist gang or organisation) of the UAPA and sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code.

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