Mehbooba Mufti: Loyalty Pledges Evoke Memories of 1990s Militant Coercion

Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti drew parallels on Tuesday between recent pledges of “loyalty to India” me by kin of some senior separatist leers and coercion tactics employed by militants during 1990s when militants would intimidate political workers into dissociating from mainstream ideologies.

Ruwa Shah, whose far and Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahm Shah passed away last year while in custody on charges of terror funding, and Sama Shabir, daughter of jailed separatist leer Shabir Shah, recently published notices in newspapers. y disassociated mselves from “separatist ideology” and pledged ir loyalty to “ sovereignty of Union of India”.

Mehbooba shared images of notices published in local newspapers on micro-blogging site X, and said, “Kashmir witnessed a time when gun-toting militants threatened & forced political workers to disassociate mselves from mainstream or face dire consequences. Today that pattern is being repeated & what makes it even more disturbing is that role is being played by state itself; y are harassing families of separatists”.

While deeming such events unacceptable, President of People's Democratic Party (PDP) said, “Not even sparing ir daughters to peddle propaganda by making m disown ir families. Even after a brutal crackdown and suppression, GOI continues to feel paranoid. Shameless is an understatement for such cowardly actions,”.

Ruwa Shah, a former journalist critical of Indian state policies, reportedly met with DG JKP, R S Swain last month, alleging her passport was impounded.

meeting at Police chief’s public Darbar appears to provide context to nearly simultaneous “public notices” by Ruwa and Sama Shabir last week.

Swain, known for his tough stance against terror ecosystem, as per sources, DGP Swain gave Ruwa a patient hearing and marked her application for action.

Moreover, Ruwa’s bror, Anees-ul-Islam, appointed during 2016 unrest, was terminated from government service in 2021 for being a “threat to state”.

Islam h been employed as a research officer at government-managed Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre in Srinagar.

However, Sama Shabir’s family confirmed her presence in United Kingdom (UK).

Shabir Shah, founder of Democratic Freedom Party, has been incarcerated since 2017. Initially apprehended by Enforcement Directorate under Prevention of Money Laundering Act in July 2017, he was detained in Tihar Jail. Subsequently, in 2019, National Investigation Agency assumed custody of Shah in connection with an alleged terror funding case, along with separatist leers Masarat Alam and Syeda Asiya Andrabi.

In 2023, government banned Democratic Freedom Party as an unlawful association under UAPA.

In 2019, Sama Shabir was summoned by ED in connection with case. However, she did not appear at that time as she was studying law in UK.