‘Courts are our last hope,’ says Mehbooba Mufti as she seeks justice for Kashmiri prisoners

November 3, 2025 by News Desk

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday made an emotional appeal for judicial reforms in Jammu and Kashmir, terming the plight of Kashmiri prisoners held in jails across India a “humanitarian crisis” rather than a political issue.

Speaking to reporters outside the J&K High Court, the former chief minister said, “Courts are our last hope.” She urged the judiciary to intervene and uphold constitutional safeguards for hundreds of youth lodged in prisons far from home.

“Behind every case, there is a story, a mother waiting for her son, a father growing old in silence, a child sleeping without knowing when their parent will return,” she said.

Calling for reforms, Mehbooba demanded that Kashmiri prisoners be held in local jails, that trials be conducted speedily and transparently, and that bail, parole, and medical relief be treated as rights, not favours.

“For years, our youth have languished in Agra, Bareilly, and Haryana prisons. Their families can’t afford to travel. Justice remains out of reach,” she said, expressing hope that the courts will ensure their “ghar wapsi” — return to their homeland.