The controversy surrounding Yasin Malik has reignited after former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, on Friday, urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to view the case of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief through a “humanitarian lens,” according to news agency ANI.
Mufti took to the social media platform X to express her views, writing that although she differed with Malik’s political ideologies, it was impossible to ignore the courage it took for him to renounce violence and choose the path of political engagement. She stated,
“I’ve written to Shri Amit Shah ji to view Yasin Malik’s case through a humanitarian lens. While I differ with his political ideology, one cannot ignore the courage it took him to renounce violence and choose the path of political engagement and nonviolent dissent.”
In her letter to the Union Home Minister, Mufti emphasized that Malik’s story is complex. She highlighted the profound transformation he underwent and the trust he placed in the State when he chose to renounce violence.
“Yasin Malik’s story is not simple, as no story born of conflict ever is. Yet, what matters most is the profound transformation he undertook and the trust he placed in the State when he renounced violence and chose the path of political engagement and non-violent dissent,” the letter, as reported by ANI, further read.
Mufti pointed out that Malik’s efforts included dialogues involving senior officials, intelligence personnel, and even controversial figures such as Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed. These interactions, she said, represented a painstaking and deliberate attempt to build bridges in a deeply fractured region.
Her letter detailed,
“Yasin Malik’s journey is no secret to the Indian State. In 1994, he took a courageous and rare decision to lay down arms and embrace political, non-violent means to pursue change. According to his sworn affidavits, this shift was neither unilateral nor impulsive but encouraged and facilitated through back-channel understandings with Indian agencies.”
She added that over the years, Malik engaged in dialogues with senior officials and intelligence personnel, with the tacit consent of Indian agencies, underscoring the complexities and efforts to foster peace.
Mufti also expressed her concern over the ongoing marginalization of Kashmiris, asserting that their voices continue to be excluded from decisions that shape their lives. She stressed that the present conditions in the Union Territory must change to create a secure environment conducive to democracy, development, and growth.
In closing, Mufti appealed for compassion and reevaluation of Malik’s case, warning that “closing the door forever on a man who chose peace risks shattering the fragile trust essential for a meaningful dialogue.”
(With inputs from ANI)
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/former-jammu-and-kashmir-cm-mehbooba-mufti-urges-amit-shah-to-review-yasin-malik-s-case-with-humanitarian-lens-23594850