SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday led a protest march in Srinagar, demanding the return of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in jails outside Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, scores of PDP leaders, workers, and supporters joined the rally, chanting slogans of “Bail, not Jail” and condemning the “inhuman” practice of shifting Kashmiri detainees to far-off prisons across India.
Addressing the demonstrators, Mehbooba Mufti said denying prisoners access to their families and legal defence was a violation of basic human rights and an assault on justice. She insisted that detainees from Jammu and Kashmir should be kept in local prisons to ensure fair trials and prevent families from suffering due to long-distance travel.
Speakers at the march highlighted that prolonged pre-trial detentions, denial of bail, and opaque remission policies amounted to systemic injustice. They denounced the refusal of medical bail as “inhumane” and urged immediate relief on humanitarian grounds.
PDP leaders reiterated that parole and furlough must be treated as prisoners’ legal rights, not discretionary favours, calling for strict implementation of jail manuals to ensure dignity and humane treatment for all inmates.
Police attempted to arrest Mehbooba Mufti during the protest, but she continued to lead the rally, warning that ongoing injustices against Kashmiri prisoners risk eroding public faith in democratic and judicial institutions.
