Srinagar, July 20 (JKNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Monday expressed gratitude to Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for their diplomatic intervention that led to the release and safe return of a Kashmiri youth from Saudi Arabia after nearly three months of detention.
JKSA in a statement issued here to news agency JKNS, expressed its gratitude to the Union External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for their timely intervention, sustained diplomatic engagement, and efforts that culminated in the safe return of Kashmiri youth Amjad Ali, a resident of Baramulla district in Jammu & Kashmir, who had remained in a Saudi jail for nearly three months.
National Convenor of the Association, Nasir Khuehami, said that Amjad, a healthcare professional employed in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, was reportedly taken into custody by the Saudi Civil Defence authorities in March 2026 while at his workplace. According to Amjad, several security officials arrived at his office and informed him that he was required for questioning, assuring him that the process would take only a couple of hours.
He cooperated fully and accompanied the officials to the police station, where his passport and identification documents were confiscated. He was asked to sign an acknowledgement before being questioned over a Facebook post he had shared on March 5 expressing condolences over the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Amjad maintained that it was merely a condolence message and nothing more.
Khuehami said Amjad was subsequently shifted to a jail facility, where he remained confined for nearly three months without being formally informed of the charges against him. The prolonged silence and uncertainty plunged his family into immense anxiety and emotional distress.
Concerned over the absence of Concerned over the lack of communication, the Association took up the matter with the Government of India and wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, seeking urgent diplomatic intervention. It urged the Ministry of External Affairs to engage with the Saudi authorities, direct the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to establish contact with Amjad, ensure consular access and legal assistance, and make every effort to secure his early release if no substantial charges were established.
The Association also informed the Ministry that Amjad had no history of unlawful or extremist activities and had travelled to Saudi Arabia solely to earn a livelihood and support his family.
Khuehami said that, following sustained diplomatic engagement by the Ministry of External Affairs, Amjad was released on June 25, following which the Saudi authorities facilitated his return to India. He has now safely reached his home in Baramulla and has finally been reunited with his family after enduring nearly three months of uncertainty, separation, and emotional trauma.
The reunion has brought immense relief to the family after months of anguish. The Association expressed gratitude to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar for his prompt attention and humanitarian approach, stating that his leadership has consistently ensured that the welfare and safety of Indian nationals abroad remain a top priority.
Association said the Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to extending timely consular assistance and diplomatic support to Indians facing distress overseas, and that Amjad’s safe return stands as yet another testament to that commitment.
The Association noted that the Ministry’s sustained diplomatic efforts and constant engagement played a decisive role in bringing this sensitive humanitarian matter to a successful conclusion.
JKSA also acknowledged the constructive role played by sections of the media in highlighting the family’s concerns and ensuring that the matter received due public attention. (JKNS)
