Jailed separatist leader Yasin Malik has decided to seek divorce from his wife, Mushaal Hussain Malik, citing years of separation and an inability to maintain regular communication with her.
Malik, who is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, conveyed his decision through an affidavit submitted to a Jammu court. In the document, he said he had been unable to speak to Mushaal for nearly eight years and claimed that he had not been permitted to communicate with her through telephone calls or video conferencing.
Malik said the decision was aimed at allowing his wife to move forward with her life rather than remain tied to the uncertainty surrounding his imprisonment and legal circumstances.
‘I Do Not Want Mushaal To Live As My Widow’
In his affidavit, Malik directly addressed Mushaal and their daughter, explaining why he had decided to end their marriage.
“You are 20 years younger than me, and I do not want you to spend the rest of your life carrying the burden of my circumstances or living as a widow. I therefore request you to find the courage to begin a new chapter of your life with dignity and hope,” he said.
Malik said his prolonged incarceration had prevented him from maintaining contact with his family and described the separation as one of the reasons behind his decision.
“Wherever my destiny takes me, my prayers, affection and blessings will always remain with you. That, before I am hanged, I have taken the decision to separate you from the bond of our Nikah,” the affidavit stated.
He said the document was also intended as a message to his mother, wife and their 13-year-old daughter.
Malik Says Family Has Been Unable To Contact Him
According to Malik’s affidavit, he has not heard the voices of his wife or daughter for around eight years. He claimed that restrictions on telephone calls and video conferencing prevented him from maintaining direct communication with them.
He described the time spent with Mushaal as limited and uncertain, while acknowledging the considerable age difference between them.
Malik said his decision was not motivated by a desire for sympathy or compassion. Instead, he described it as an expression of what he considered his final decision regarding his family responsibilities.
Yasin Malik Has Been In Tihar Since 2019
Malik has been imprisoned in Tihar Jail since 2019 in connection with a terror-funding case related to Jammu and Kashmir.
In May 2022, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court convicted him in the case and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Malik heads the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which is a banned organisation.
His latest move comes amid continuing investigations involving him and his associates. Investigative agencies conducted searches at eight locations in August as part of an ongoing probe into cases connected with Malik and others.
The latest development concerns Malik’s personal decision to seek an end to his marriage, while legal proceedings and investigations connected to his criminal cases continue.
