Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged that the upcoming assembly session address the alleged misuse of the Public Safety Act (PSA), along with the impact on tourism and the Union Territory’s horticulture sector.
She also questioned why a key highway, blocked since the beginning of the month, has yet to be reopened.
“The assembly should examine the losses to the horticulture sector caused by the highway closure. Omar Abdullah contacted Nitin Gadkari only 20 days after the road was blocked. Why wasn’t this done sooner?” Mufti asked.
“Who is accountable for the farmers’ losses? Will there be a compensation package? Will kisan loans be waived? These issues must be debated in the assembly,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters.
Mufti highlighted that tourism has suffered since the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam, causing despair among people dependent on the sector for their livelihood.
She noted that while repealing the PSA is beyond the assembly’s scope, the issue warrants a detailed discussion in the upcoming session.
“If an MLA like Mehraj Malik can be booked under the PSA for using unparliamentary language, imagine what ordinary citizens face,” she said.
Mufti urged the Omar Abdullah government to provide legal aid to poor detainees unable to challenge their PSA detentions.
“Omar Sahib offered legal assistance to Mehraj Malik, who doesn’t need it. But this support should be extended to poor detainees across Jammu and Kashmir,” she added.
She also called on the chief minister to advocate for jailed separatist leader Mohammad Yasin Malik.
“I am not suggesting he contest Malik’s case personally. But Malik renounced violence based on assurances from leaders and officials since 1994. He met prime ministers, traveled to Pakistan, and engaged with Hafiz Saeed under the Intelligence Bureau’s guidance.
“This isn’t just about Malik—it’s about keeping the government’s word. Ignoring these assurances harms Jammu and Kashmir, the country, and India’s international credibility,” she said.
Mufti further stated that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and former RAW chief A.S. Dulat should respond to claims Malik made in his 85-page affidavit to the Delhi High Court.
“Fortunately, both are alive and aware of Malik’s past. They have a moral duty to speak up. You convinced a militant leader to renounce violence and adopt a Gandhian path. Using his past against him now is unjust,” she concluded.
