Amid Middle East crisis, Mehbooba questions Centre’s ‘silence’ — ‘Iran supported India over Kashmir, gave oil on loan’
Addressing the press at her party office in Srinagar, Mufti burnt the portraits of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Saying that the people of Kashmir were “body and soul” with Iran, former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti expressed disappointment that the Centre hasn’t condemned the attack or sympathised with the people of Iran.
Mufti also demanded immediate withdrawal of FIR against Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu saying “it is not that everyone should keep his mouth shut”. She said that many young girls have been jailed by the police for protesting over Iran attacks.
Addressing the press at her party office in Srinagar, Mufti burnt the portraits of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We had very strong ties with Iran. On the Kashmir issue, when every Muslim country sided with Pakistan, Iran understood the Indian stand and supported it. When sanctions were imposed, Iran was the only country that gave oil to India, that too on loan,” Mufti said. “Despite having such strong relations with Iran, the leadership of our country didn’t sympathise with the people of Iran nor condemned the attack”.
Mufti also questioned the “silence” of the Omar Abdullah led government on the joint US-Israel attack on Iran and killing of its Supreme leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei.
Calling Trump and Netanyahu as evil powers, Mufti said the “people of Kashmir, especially that of the valley, and the Muslim ummah are with the people of Iran”.
“We salute their martyrdom, we salute their bravery,” she said. While demanding the withdrawal of FIR against Ruhullah and Mattu, Mufti called for the immediate release of the civilians detained over the last three days saying “many young girls” have also been put in jail.
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Mufti. however, appealed to the youth to protest peacefully. “I would like to request the people that whatever you want to do, do it peacefully,” she said, asking them to keep in mind Kashmir’s economic situation. “We are in an economic crisis. Tourism has started to pick up, it should not be harmed”.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
