Mehbooba Mufti denied passport, authorities say she is ‘threat to national security’

By Express News Service

SRINAGAR: The authorities have refused to provide a passport to former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.

“Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India’,” tweeted Mehbooba.

She also released the letter written to her by the Passport Officer informing her that grant of passport facility to her has been refused after an adverse report of Jammu and Kashmir police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The CID, as per the report, had returned her application with a note — “Note Recommended” to the Passport Office.

READ| Mehbooba Mufti seeks people’s support for struggle for restoration of J-K’s statehood, special status

Mehbooba had applied for a fresh passport in December last year after her passport had expired on May 31, 2020.

Passport Office refused to issue my passport based on CID’s report citing it as ‘detrimental to the security of India. This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019 that an ex Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation. pic.twitter.com/3Z2CfDgmJy

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 29, 2021

“This is the level of normalcy achieved in Kashmir since Aug 2019  that an ex-Chief Minister holding a passport is a threat to the sovereignty of a mighty nation,” Mehbooba tweeted.

Mehbooba, who is critical of the abrogation of Article 370 and demands its restoration, was released from 14 months of detention in October 2020. She was among the mainstream leaders arrested on August 5, 2019, when the Centre scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated the J&K state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

She was also among the dozen mainstream leaders booked under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) after her detention.