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NHRC tells govt to issue travel papers to Hurriyat leader

The National Human Rights Commission has directed the government to issue travel documents to Abdul Gani Lone, chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference and executive member of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, to enable him to travel to the United States for medical treatment.

The home ministry has accepted the commission's recommendation and allowed Lone, who is suffering from heart ailment, to travel to the US ''only for medical treatment'' in view of his failing health.

The travel document would be issued as per the laid down procedure for the issue of passport in the normal course on application by Lone and would be valid for three months, the home ministry informed the NHRC.

Lone had approached the NHRC against withholding of travel documents to him since 1994 which resulted in his being unable to perform Haj and denial of medical treatment of his choice. He had also complained of ''gross violation of his civil and political rights over a number of years referring to the detentions that he alleged were illegal, threats to his life and destruction of property.''

Lone had stated in his petition that he had undergone angioplasty and stenting at the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre on June 19, 1998. But since these measures failed, he underwent by-pass surgery on November 4.

He again wrote to the NHRC on February 15 this year informing that his by-pass surgery at escorts had also failed and accordingly, after undergoing a stress-thallium test on February 5, he had to undergo yet another angioplasty on February 9.

Later he sent a report of a 'relative cardiologist' that Lone's by-pass was ''not successful due to a technical defect'' and alleged that ''due to the cruel and sedative attitude of the government the chances of his survival are day-by-day lessening.''

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