SRINAGAR, Mar 12: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has launched a scathing attack on the central government over its recent ban on the Awami Action Committee (AAC), led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Masroor Abbas Ansari’s Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM). She termed the move a blatant contradiction to the government’s decision of providing Mirwaiz with Z-plus security, raising questions about the Centre’s policy on Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mufti denounced the decision, calling it part of New Delhi’s continued “muscular policy” in Jammu and Kashmir. She warned that such actions would only alienate the people further and intensify grievances in the region.
“It is completely unjustified. Everyone is aware that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is himself a victim of militancy. His father, Maulvi Mohammad Farooq, was assassinated, and it was he who laid the foundation of the Awami Action Committee. To now ban the party in such a manner raises serious concerns about the intent behind this move,” Mufti stated.
One of Mufti’s strongest criticisms was directed at the government’s apparent inconsistency—on the one hand, providing Mirwaiz with the highest level of security, and on the other, outlawing his organization.
“I fail to understand this contradiction. If Mirwaiz is considered a threat to national security, why is he being given Z-plus security cover? If he is not, then why impose a ban on his party? This seems like another tactic to pressurize him—perhaps he refused to toe a certain line, and this is the response. I do not know the exact reason, but such possibilities cannot be ruled out,” she remarked.
She further alleged that these steps were being taken to muzzle dissenting voices and silence those advocating peace and dialogue. “Time and again, the government has shown that it is not interested in reconciliation. Instead of engaging with the leadership that has roots in the people, it is resorting to bans and repression, deepening wounds in the Valley,” she added.
Mufti reiterated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir need a healing touch, not forceful suppression. She cautioned that targeting religious and political groups arbitrarily would only fuel resentment among the masses.
“When such major actions are taken against religious leaders, it sends a very negative message. The hearts and minds of Kashmiris are already bruised. These decisions only serve to alienate them further,” she asserted.
Mufti also took a swipe at the ruling National Conference (NC), accusing it of remaining silent while serious issues unfolded in the Union Territory. “We have seen how Jamaat-e-Islami was banned earlier under the BJP. Now, under an elected government, we expected a different approach. However, injustice continues, and those in power choose to look the other way,” she said.
The PDP chief issued a strong warning that such measures could have serious consequences, potentially aggravating the already fragile situation in Kashmir.
“The government must rethink its approach. Banning parties, suppressing voices, and imposing restrictions will not help. Instead, it will only deepen the crisis. The Centre must act with wisdom and foresight instead of enforcing knee-jerk reactions that escalate tensions,” she cautioned.
Mufti emphasized that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserved a policy based on trust, dialogue, and reconciliation rather than coercion and bans. “We are in a phase where wounds need to be healed, not worsened. The Centre must act responsibly and engage with the leadership instead of discrediting it through such arbitrary actions,” she concluded.