Justice for All Canada
  • About Us
    • Our Team >
      • Our Executive Director
    • Justice Advisors
    • Accomplishments >
      • ​Burma Task Force: A Canadian Success Story
      • ​Save Uyghur Milestones
  • Elect Justice
  • Campaigns
    • Save Palestine
    • Save India from Fascism
    • Save Uyghur >
      • Uyghur Genocide
      • Uyghur Concentration Camps
    • Burma Task Force
    • Kashmir Action
    • Sri Lanka Task Force
    • Prisoners of Conscience >
      • Shabir Shah
      • Khurram Parvez
      • Huseyin Celil
      • Israel’s Child and Teenage Prisoners of Conscience
      • Yidiresi Aishan
    • Indigenous Solidarity​
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Take Action
    • NextGen Training
    • Media Watch
    • Law Student Internship
    • Career Opportunities
    • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • Press Releases
    • Statements
    • Reports & Studies
    • Facts & Infographics
    • Op-Eds
    • YouTube
    • Videos
  • Blog
  • Impact
    • Accomplishments >
      • ​Burma Task Force: A Canadian Success Story
      • Save Uyghur Milestones
    • 2024 Op-Ed Report
    • 2024 Impact Report
    • 2023 Impact Report
    • 2022 Impact Report
    • 2021 Impact Report
    • 2020 Impact Report
    • 2018-2019 Impact Report
    • 2017 Impact Report
  • Donate
  • About Us
    • Our Team >
      • Our Executive Director
    • Justice Advisors
    • Accomplishments >
      • ​Burma Task Force: A Canadian Success Story
      • ​Save Uyghur Milestones
  • Elect Justice
  • Campaigns
    • Save Palestine
    • Save India from Fascism
    • Save Uyghur >
      • Uyghur Genocide
      • Uyghur Concentration Camps
    • Burma Task Force
    • Kashmir Action
    • Sri Lanka Task Force
    • Prisoners of Conscience >
      • Shabir Shah
      • Khurram Parvez
      • Huseyin Celil
      • Israel’s Child and Teenage Prisoners of Conscience
      • Yidiresi Aishan
    • Indigenous Solidarity​
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Take Action
    • NextGen Training
    • Media Watch
    • Law Student Internship
    • Career Opportunities
    • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • Press Releases
    • Statements
    • Reports & Studies
    • Facts & Infographics
    • Op-Eds
    • YouTube
    • Videos
  • Blog
  • Impact
    • Accomplishments >
      • ​Burma Task Force: A Canadian Success Story
      • Save Uyghur Milestones
    • 2024 Op-Ed Report
    • 2024 Impact Report
    • 2023 Impact Report
    • 2022 Impact Report
    • 2021 Impact Report
    • 2020 Impact Report
    • 2018-2019 Impact Report
    • 2017 Impact Report
  • Donate

Blog

The Raid on Our Home Ahead of G20 in Kashmir: A Daughter's Account

6/1/2023

Comments

 
Tazeen Hasan produced this personal narrative on behalf of Sehar Shah based on her one-to-one communication with Shah. Shah's postings on Facebook and Twitter have also been used for details.

My name is Sehar Shabir Shah, and I am the daughter of the renowned "Prisoner of Conscience," Shabir Ahmad Shah, who has endured a staggering 36 years of his life behind bars. Our lives have been marked by constant struggles and challenges, but nothing could have prepared us for the events that unfolded ahead of the G20 summit.

It was a seemingly ordinary day when chaos erupted. Troops, comprising the army, Special Forces, and black cat commandos, descended upon our peaceful abode around 6:00 p.m. Their presence was overwhelming, as armored vehicles blocked off the bypass and effectively isolated our entire neighborhood.

In the midst of it all, our helper sought solace in her room, completely unaware of the impending intrusion. The troops forcefully smashed down the gate of our kitchen garden, hopping over walls, and brazenly entering our home through that very same entrance.

At the time, my mother was engaged in the evening Asr prayer. The sound of the doorbell interrupted her devotions, but she was unable to immediately attend to it. With each passing minute, the clamor outside intensified. By the time she reached the gate, roughly 20 to 25 heavily armed men had already breached our house's defenses. Scaling walls and jumping inside, they instilled fear with their imposing presence.

The troops began shouting at my mother as she cautiously opened the lobby door, demanding to know who else was present in the house. Despite her assurances that she was alone, they persisted, barking their questions and demanding more information. Eventually, they barged inside, their boots resounding against the floors, meticulously scouring every nook and cranny, leaving a trail of disorder in their wake.

My mother accompanied a few soldiers who ascended to the top level of our house, while the rest scoured the ground floor and other rooms. It was heart-wrenching to witness the destruction they wrought upon our once-serene dining room. Furnishings were ruthlessly dismantled, and possessions were callously scattered, rendering the room unrecognizable.

The aftermath of their search left our rooms in utter disarray. Every wardrobe lay open, and belongings were carelessly strewn about. The sight of the chaos and devastation was deeply unsettling. My sense of disgust grew as I surveyed the wreckage that now plagued our home.

Before departing, the troops made their intentions clear. They intimidated my mother with threats of a return visit, leaving her shaken and unsettled. Fortunately, we had installed CCTV cameras throughout our residence, capturing every moment of this harrowing ordeal. Determined to document the full extent of their intrusion, I meticulously photographed the rooms and the mess they left behind.

The attached CCTV footage and images serve as a testament to the violation we endured on that fateful day. They bear witness to the destruction inflicted upon our home, forever etching this traumatic experience into our collective memory.

Through sharing our story, I hope to shed light on the immense challenges faced by families like ours, who bear the burden of political persecution. It is my fervent desire that justice prevails, that those responsible for the raid are held accountable, and that no other family must endure the same anguish that has befallen ours.

For 36 long years, my father has been unjustly held in arbitrary detention imposed by the Indian government, without ever facing conviction in a single case. Every passing day, my heart aches as I wait for the day when I can embrace my aging and gravely ill father once more.

The raid on our home, with its brutal intrusion and wanton destruction, only adds to the weight of my longing. It is a painful reminder of the injustice that has plagued our lives for far too long. As I pick up the shattered remnants of our belongings, I can't help but feel the weight of uncertainty pressing upon me. How much longer must I endure this separation from my beloved father?

#Kashmir  #Prisoners_of_Conscience  #G20_in_Kashmir
Comments

    Categories

    All
    India
    Indigenous Rights
    Kashmir
    Palestine
    Rohingya
    Sri Lanka Human Rights
    Uighur

Justice for All Canada
100-4310 Sherwoodtowne Boulevard,
Mississauga, Ontario, L4Z 4C4​
​[email protected]

Support Us
Help Defend Human Rights & Save Lives

Donate

Connect With Us

Subscribe to Our Mailing List
Get JFA News & Action Alerts Delivered To Your Inbox

Subscribe

Our Campaigns: Burma Task Force | Save Uyghur | Kashmir Action | Save India from Fascism | Save Palestine
Sri Lanka Task Force | Prisoners of Conscience (Free Shabir Shah | Free Khurram Parvez | Free Huseyin Celil | Israel’s Child and Teenage Prisoners of Conscience) | Indigenous Solidarity Campaign

© Justice for All Canada. All Rights Reserved
​​Designed and Developed with ❤ by Crescent Marketing Solutions​