SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday called for the immediate release of youths allegedly detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and urged the administration to allow Ashura processions and other traditional Muharram observances across Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing concern over reports that several young men who participated in demonstrations related to recent developments involving Iran had allegedly been booked under the PSA and lodged in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba said such actions were troubling and risked further alienating the youth.
She urged the administration to review all such cases, release those detained, and refrain from further coercive measures, maintaining that dialogue and engagement remained the most effective means of addressing public grievances and sentiments.
The former Chief Minister said Muharram was not merely a religious observance but an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir’s spiritual, cultural and historical heritage. She said generations of people in Kashmir had participated in and respected commemorations linked to the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS), whose message of justice, sacrifice and resistance to oppression continued to inspire people worldwide.
Calling for comprehensive arrangements during Muharram, Mehbooba urged the administration to ensure adequate traffic management, healthcare facilities, sanitation, drinking water, electricity and other essential services for mourners and devotees participating in religious gatherings and processions.
She also appealed to the authorities to permit Ashura processions and traditional Muharram events in a peaceful and dignified manner, saying such observances were an important part of the region’s cultural and spiritual identity and should be facilitated in accordance with the sentiments and constitutional rights of the people.
Mehbooba said Muharram was a period of reflection, remembrance and solidarity with those who suffer, and stressed that the government should focus on engagement and healing rather than punitive measures during the sacred month.
She further appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to uphold the values of patience, unity, mutual respect and service to humanity while observing Muharram and remembering the universal message of Karbala.
