Former J&K Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday (December 26, 2025) said the J&K High Court’s recent order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to shifting of Kashmiri undertrials was “surprising, unfortunate and focussed on politics but not reason”.
“The court order passed on my PIL was unfortunate and surprising. The court says anyone can file a PIL but since I am a politician I filed it for political reasons. The court forgot that politicians connected to the ground. We understand the pain people go through and especially those whose relatives are in jails for years together,” Ms. Mufti said.
She said the court was the last resort for her “to ensure that undertrials who have no serious charges” are brought back to Kashmir. “There should have been a debate on reason and PIL but instead the debate was around me. The court should have taken sou motu cognisance of such cases and sought answers from the government. Undertrials cannot be termed as convicts. Many are behind the bars without trials,” Ms. Mufti said.
Ms. Mufti said she chose to knock on the doors of the high court after her earlier efforts failed. “After 2019, many youths were arrested and shifted outside. In two separate letters, I urged the Union Home minister, home secretary, J&K Chief Secretary, and Director General Prisons to share details on undertrials. There has been no response,” Ms. Mufti said.
