India-Kashmir-Srinagar
The condition of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, who is on fast unto death since August 5, deteriorated on Thursday, doctors have said.

Tension gripped Srinagar city as the news of Yasins worsening condition spread this morning with shopkeepers downing their shutters and groups of youth taking to streets shouting pro-independence slogans.

The 42-year old pro-independence Kashmiri leader is on hunger strike in protest against the economic blockade of Kashmir Valley by Hindu agitators who have backing of most of the national level political parties of India.

A team of doctors led by former head of Government Medical College Srinagar Dr Ghulam Qadir Allaqaband, examined frail looking Malik, at his make shift shmayana, erected at a roadside in JKLF bastion of Maisuma quarter of the city.

A team member Dr Zaffar Mahdi, told IRNA that "Condition of Malik, who is a heart patient, is fast deteriorating as his kidneys have been affected and blood pressure has gone down after he stopped taking medicines".

He said Malik needs immediate hospitalization, otherwise anything can happen". Malik, who has undergone heart bypass surgery sometime ago, however has refused any medicine so far.

"I would rather prefer to die for my nation than break the fast." "Honor of nation is more important than my life," Malik said while calling on the international community to intervene in Kashmir where situation has worsened due to economic blockade.

"Even during war, medicines and other essential supplies aren't blocked by the enemy countries. But here, patients are without medicines, children are without milk, and it reminds us of the situation in Karbala where Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions were martyred without food and water by Yazid."
"The silence of the international community is criminal. Our SOS to world community is that please intervene immediately," he was quoted as saying by the local media.