Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has written to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, urging him to stop what she described as a sweeping crackdown on Kashmiris following the Pahalgam terror attack.
In her letter, Mufti expressed deep concern over the alleged detention of more than 3,000 individuals and nearly 100 Public Safety Act (PSA) cases reported since the April 22 attack. She warned that such actions amount to “collective punishment” and risk alienating the local population.
“The response from various security agencies appears less like a focused investigation and more like a sweeping and indiscriminate crackdown,” Mufti wrote. “This approach not only risks alienating families and communities but also begs the question: where will all this lead us?”
Condemning the attack that killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Mufti emphasized the need for justice. However, she criticised the authorities’ reaction, stating, “While we are all unequivocally in favour of justice, the actions currently being undertaken amount to mass retribution. No democratic and responsible society can or should accept such treatment of its own people.”
Highlighting the goodwill shown by the people of Kashmir in protecting fellow citizens in the aftermath of the attack, she said it was disheartening to see such gestures being met with widespread detentions. She called on the rest of the nation to reciprocate this goodwill with compassion rather than punitive actions.
Mufti urged LG Sinha to personally intervene to end the ongoing arrests and release those found to be innocent. “Let the people of Kashmir breathe easy and prepare to welcome the Yatris with the warmth and hospitality they are well recognised for,” she added.
The Pahalgam terror attack has triggered strong responses from India, including diplomatic and operational actions targeting Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism. Amid heightened tensions, the situation in Kashmir remains sensitive, with political leaders calling for restraint and due process.