Separatist leader’s daughter tops CBSE Class 12 in J&K

Sama Shabir Shah, daughter of senior separatist leader Shabir Shah jailed in Tihar, has scored 97.8 % marks in the CBSE-2018 Class 12 results and topped in the state. Sama was studying arts from Delhi Public School Athwajan, which has topped among all the CBSE affiliated schools of the state. Most of the schools in Kashmir follow NCERT pattern while few schools follow CBSE curriculum.

Sama’s father Shabir Shah is a hardline separatist leader who has been in Tihar jail since his arrest last year in July in connection with a 2007 money laundering case allegedly linked to “terror financing”. He was arrested around the same time the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating if funds from Pakistan were used to fuel 2016 unrest in the Kashmir valley, arrested seven other separatist leaders.

Sama was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. “I am happy but I am sad as well. The news about my success went viral across India but it would not have reached my father in Jail,” the 19-year-old said. Sama’s mother is a doctor while her younger sister is studying in school.

CM Mehbooba Mufti also congratulated her. “Her hard work and determination has helped her overcome all odds and she is truly an inspiration for the youth of our state,” she tweeted. Sama plans to study law as she feels that there is a lot of injustice in her state. “My family has faced a lot of injustice. I will study law so that I can help my family and my state,” she said.

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