New Delhi: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti staged a protest in Srinagar on Monday, demanding the release or transfer of Kashmiri prisoners detained under stringent laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA).
The protest, held at Sher-i-Kashmir Park near the PDP office, was part of a broader campaign against what Mufti described as the “prolonged and inhumane detention” of Kashmiri detainees, many of whom are undertrials or suffering from chronic illnesses.
Mufti and her party workers raised slogans such as “Bail, not Jail” before police intervened, leading to a brief scuffle between PDP activists and law enforcement officers. She accused the authorities of trying to suppress democratic dissent.
“They treated us like an enemy,” Mufti said, condemning the police for placing barricades and using force against a peaceful protest. “This is an attempt to silence dissent in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Call for Humanitarian Action
Mufti specifically called for the release or transfer of several high-profile Kashmiri prisoners, including senior separatist leader Shabir Shah and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, who are currently lodged in prisons across India.
“These prisoners, many of whom are undertrials or suffer from chronic illnesses, are being held far from their families,” she said. “They should be released or, at the very least, transferred to jails in Jammu and Kashmir so that their families have access and they receive fair trials.”
She pointed out that even hardened criminals in other parts of India are granted bail or parole, but Kashmiri detainees continue to languish without relief, including those who have not yet been convicted.
Appeal to Omar Abdullah
In a significant political appeal, Mufti urged Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to lead an all-party delegation to raise the issue of Kashmiri detainees with the Union Government.
“Omar should meet the Union Home Minister or visit jails to assess the detainees’ conditions,” she said. “If he can’t secure their release, he should at least ensure they are brought back to Jammu and Kashmir.”
Mufti’s protest and demands align with her broader political position, advocating for dialogue, the revocation of harsh laws such as UAPA and PSA, and the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, which was revoked in 2019.
This latest protest signals the PDP’s ongoing attempt to bring the issue of civil liberties and human rights in Kashmir back into political and public discourse.