Welcoming PM's rail initiative, Mehbooba, Mirwaiz demand prisoners' release, dialogue on Kashmir

The Hindu

11 hours ago

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday (June 6, 2025) welcomed the rail initiatives inaugurated in Jammu and Kashmir but demanded confidence-building measures by releasing youth and initiating a dialogue on Kashmir.
'If the Prime Minister truly seeks to reduce the 'dil ki doori' (distance of hearts) which he often mentions in his speeches, then humanitarian steps are the real way forward. Train links are welcome, but it is the human links that truly matter and endure,' the Mirwaiz said, while delivering his sermon at the Jama Masjid in Srinagar.
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He appealed to the Government of India to release political prisoners as 'a goodwill gesture'.
'Thousands of families are in sorrow on Id. Their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers have been incarcerated for years — many without trial — in jails within and outside Jammu and Kashmir. And with each passing day, more of our youth are detained,' the Mirwaiz said.
Meanwhile, the Mirwaiz condemned the inhuman killing of 30-year-old Zubair Bhat of Ali Kadal, Srinagar, who was working in New Delhi.
'Zubair's custodial-like death, allegedly at the hands of the Delhi police as claimed by his family, has brought back haunting memories of such deaths and raised serious concerns regarding the safety and security of Kashmiris residing or working in different parts of India,' he said.
He said that after the recent Pahalgam incident, Kashmiris across the country were increasingly facing hostility. 'And now, an innocent young trader has been killed in cold blood. How long will this go on?' the Mirwaiz asked.
He urged the Government of India and the union territory administration to fulfil their constitutional responsibility and ensure the safety, security, and dignity of all Kashmiri citizens, especially those outside the region. 'The silence and inaction only embolden those targeting Kashmiris,' he said.
In a separate statement, Ms. Mufti welcomed the train to Kashmir and termed the project a culmination of what so many governments worked on and capped by the government of Narendra Modi.
'We welcome the train. The work had been on for the past 40 years, ever since Indira Gandhi started the Jammu-Udhampur railway link in 1983. All governments have worked on this project, and Prime Minister Modi has completed it,' she said.
Ms. Mufti said she was happy that Mr. Modi had acknowledged the stand taken by the people of Kashmir against terrorism after the Pahalgam attack. She appealed to the Prime Minister to mark the occasion of Id with a humanitarian gesture by ordering the immediate release of prisoners, particularly youth, detained on suspicion or without serious charges.
'Such an act would reflect the essence of this festival, rebuild trust, and demonstrate a commitment to dialogue and reconciliation,' she said.
She said prolonged detentions without substantial evidence deepen alienation and hinder peace efforts in Jammu and Kashmir. 'It's important to address the aspirations of the people and foster a future where dignity and fairness prevail,' she said, in her Id message.