People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti, during her visit to Warson village of Kupwara, to offer condolences, addressed the media, where she voiced strong criticism of the Jammu and Kashmir government and condemned the use of the Public Safety Act (PSA) against elected officials. 

Mufti questioned Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s offer to provide legal assistance to the jailed AAP MLA. She asserted that rather than focusing on legal aid to the arrested MLA, and added that the CM, who has 50 members in the assembly, should use his legislative power to pass a resolution against the PSA. 

Mufti also strongly condemned the detention of MLA Mehraj Malik, terming it an “assault on democracy” and an “attack on democratic values”. Malik was arrested under the PSA in September, and this had sparked protests, leading to restrictions and internet shutdowns in district Doda.

Mufti also accused the government of settling political scores and targeting elected representatives instead of following proper legislative procedures. She formally urged J&K Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to convene a special assembly session to condemn the arrest of Malik and the use of the PSA against an elected official. She stated that a resolution passed by the assembly would put pressure on the central government to release the MLA and prevent such actions from being used against other representatives in the future. 

The PDP Chief argued that such aid should instead be extended to the thousands of impoverished Kashmiri prisoners who are “languishing in jails” and whose families cannot afford legal battles.

In addition to her comments about Malik’s arrest, Mufti also referenced her own party’s past difficulties with securing permissions from the government, further highlighting what she sees as a trend of undermining democratic institutions.