Mehbooba Mufti Calls for Release of Detained Kashmiris After Pahalgam Attack, Slams Mass Arrests

May, 10 2025

Mehbooba Mufti Pushes Back Against Mass Arrests After Pahalgam Attack

Mehbooba Mufti, PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, isn’t mincing words about what’s happening in the valley after the recent Pahalgam terror attack. She’s addressed an open letter to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, urging him to stop what she calls a wave of "sweeping and indiscriminate" security operations that have led to thousands of detentions across Kashmir.

This isn’t just a handful of people. According to Mufti, more than 3,000 Kashmiris have been detained since the attack, with close to 100 slapped with the Public Safety Act—a law notorious for allowing detention without trial. These numbers caught immediate attention not just among locals but also in national headlines, raising new questions about the government’s approach to counterterrorism in such a sensitive region.

Mufti’s argument isn’t about letting criminals off the hook. She’s making a point about fairness and the risks of treating entire communities as suspects. By calling the crackdown “collective punishment” and “mass retribution,” she says these tactics blur the line between catching perpetrators and sweeping up ordinary citizens whose only crime might be living in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time. She worries that such heavy-handed moves end up driving a wedge between civilians and authorities, which, in her view, is completely counterproductive to genuine peace or meaningful security.

Community Tensions Ahead of Amarnath Yatra

There’s a bigger picture here, too. The annual Amarnath Yatra—a massive pilgrimage that draws visitors from across India—is days away. In normal years, the event puts local hospitality and resilience front and center. But this year, locals and politicians like Mufti fear reputational damage if the valley is seen as a place where people are picked up off the streets by the thousands in the name of safety.

Mufti points out that tension like this doesn’t just make headlines—it echoes in every marketplace, school, and home. She believes that overwhelming show of force might actually make things worse for security forces by creating more suspicion and less willingness among locals to cooperate with them. The timing couldn't be more sensitive, with the entire valley under the microscope during the pilgrimage season.

Her call isn’t just a criticism but a demand for action. She’s asking LG Sinha to immediately review the cases of those detained, stressing the urgent need to free innocent civilians. By dialing down what she sees as punitive measures, Mufti says authorities can show the world that Kashmir remains, above all, a place of welcome—and avoid deepening the cycle of mistrust that has haunted the region for years.

Her letter has reignited debate about whether mass arrests really contribute to safety or simply keep the valley on edge, especially at moments when the world's eyes turn to Kashmir. As the Amarnath Yatra approaches, the decisions made now will set the tone for law and order, community relations, and the region’s image far beyond its borders.