‘There was some mistake somewhere — that's why such a serious incident happened,’ the PDP leader said
SRINAGAR — There should be a thorough investigation as to how the terrorists were able to carry out the Pahalgam assault at a place where tourists come in large numbers, Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, said on Tuesday.
In an interview with IANS, Iltija also praised her mother as “extremely peace-loving” and criticised the media for portraying her as “anti-India or non-secular.”
The Pahalgam incident was a dastardly attack and “we condemn it. There is no place for violence. We condemn terrorism,” she said.
Before being Kashmiris, Muslims, or Indians, we are human beings first, and such acts break our hearts, she said.
Replying to a question as to who was to blame for the terror attack and whether she thinks Pakistan was behind it, Iltija Mufti said it was difficult for her to respond to it. “For the last six years, since Article 370 was abrogated and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was taken away, the entire law and order situation here — including the security agencies, intelligence agencies, police — all come under the Ministry of Home Affairs. So, it is very difficult for me to speak on this matter, as they are not under my domain, nor are they under the domain of the J&K government,” she said.
Iltija said these questions are better answered by the central government. “I don’t think this is the right time to start pointing fingers and saying mistakes were made here or there. There must be time given for a proper investigation into how this happened,” she said.
ILtija said places like Baisaran and Pahalgam see a large number of tourists every day. “Yet that day, terrorists came and carried out such a big attack. This certainly needs to be investigated. I don’t have the authority to say who is to blame. There was some mistake somewhere — that’s why such a serious incident happened. Only after a full investigation can anything be said,” she said.
Iltija criticised attempts by media, ‘Godi’ media in particular, to tarnish the image of her mother by portraying her as anti-India or non-secular. “If you truly look at Mehbooba Ji, you’ll see she is extremely peace-loving. It was very important for her to go to Pahalgam at this time — not just for the local people, but also to show our tourists that we have always welcomed them and will continue to do so. You must have seen the visuals — she went there, tourists were present, and photos were taken with them. We are very thankful that the tourists continue to show their trust in us,” she said.
On the question how she felt after Pakistani citizens were being sent back, she said many people have been living here (in India) for the past 20–30 years. “A Pakistani woman whose son was martyred while serving in the CRPF is also living here. When her son was martyred, Home Minister Amit Shah himself visited her. There are many such cases where people have been affected. If we look at this through the lens of humanity, it is clear that injustices are occurring,” she said. — IANS
