As Muharram is set to begin on Wednesday, PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday urged the administration to release youth allegedly detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and ensure all necessary arrangements for the peaceful observance of the holy month.
In a statement, Mehbooba said Muharram is not merely a religious event but an inseparable part of Jammu and Kashmir’s spiritual, cultural, and historical heritage. She said the administration must provide adequate facilities, including traffic management, healthcare, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, and other essential services for mourners and devotees.
Expressing concern over reports that several young men who participated in demonstrations over recent developments involving Iran have allegedly been booked under the PSA and lodged in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir, she termed the move “deeply troubling” and warned that such actions could further alienate the youth.
She said that the use of harsh laws against young people, particularly during the sacred month of Muharram, is both insensitive and counterproductive.
“Muharram is a time when people mourn and remember the sacrifices made in Karbala. It is a period of reflection, compassion, and solidarity with those who suffer. At such a sensitive moment, the government should be engaging with its people, listening to their concerns and healing wounds rather than adding to their pain through punitive measures,” Mehbooba said.
She urged the administration to immediately review all such cases, release those detained, and refrain from further coercive measures. She stressed that dialogue and engagement remain the most effective means of addressing public sentiment and grievances.
She also called for allowing Ashura processions and traditional Muharram observances in a dignified and peaceful manner.
Appealing for unity and patience, Mehbooba said the values of justice, sacrifice, and human dignity embodied by Imam Hussain continue to inspire people across generations.
