Mehbooba Mufti: PIL Filed to Ease Families’ Suffering by Shifting J&K Prisoners Back to UT Jails
Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that her petition before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking the transfer of J&K prisoners from jails outside the Union Territory (UT) back to local prisons was aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by their families.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Mehbooba said that despite her repeated requests over the years, the government has not provided accurate data on the number of such detainees, particularly since 2019. “Over 3,000 to 3,500 people were arrested and lodged in jails outside J&K. Their families are suffering deeply — many have had to sell their properties to continue the legal fight,” she said.
The PDP chief appeared before the High Court on Monday, urging it to adopt a humanitarian approach and direct the transfer of all undertrial prisoners from outside jails to J&K. In her Public Interest Litigation (PIL), she requested the court to ensure that prisoners be brought back unless authorities can provide written justification for keeping them outside the UT.
“Many families can’t even afford to travel to meet their loved ones. We had hoped that after the government’s formation, this issue would be raised with the Centre and legal aid provided,” she added.
Mehbooba noted that most of the prisoners were undertrials, with charges yet to be proven. “They only get date after date. Families see them for barely ten seconds on court video screens. They are in despair,” she said. “We’re not demanding their release, only that they be shifted to J&K.”
She said she had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the J&K DGP, and the Chief Secretary seeking details about the prisoners and the jails where they are held. “I even urged former CM Omar Abdullah to lead an all-party delegation to assess their condition,” she added.
While the public occasionally hears about the health of prominent detainees like Shabir Shah, Yasin Malik, or Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, Mehbooba said, “No one talks about the ordinary poor prisoners. That’s why I approached the court — because their families lack the means to do so themselves. The court is their last hope for justice.”
She stressed that shifting the prisoners back to J&K would not only ease family visits but also make legal consultation easier.
Responding to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s reported remark that the matter was sub-judice, Mehbooba said, “When we moved a resolution in the Assembly to bring these prisoners back, the NC government blocked it. Omar didn’t think it was sub-judice then. He frequently talks about statehood and Article 370 — both sub-judice issues — yet avoids speaking about this humanitarian concern.”
Mehbooba concluded by saying, “My only intention behind approaching the court was to reduce the suffering of these families. If Omar feels bad even about that, what can I do?”
