Srinagar, Nov 3: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday made an emotional appeal for judicial reforms in Jammu and Kashmir, describing the plight of prisoners lodged in jails across India as a “humanitarian crisis” rather than a political issue.

Speaking to reporters outside the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the former Chief Minister said, “Courts are our last hope.” She urged the judiciary to intervene and ensure justice, compassion, and constitutional safeguards for hundreds of Kashmiri youth incarcerated in distant states.

“Behind every number and every case, there is a story — a mother waiting for her son, a father growing old in silence, a child sleeping each night without knowing when their parent will return,” Mehbooba said, calling the situation deeply painful and unjust.

The PDP chief stressed that the issue transcends politics and must be addressed as a question of humanity and fairness. She said the young men jailed outside J&K are “not statistics but sons of this soil” who deserve dignity, fair trials, and an opportunity to rebuild their lives.

Mehbooba Mufti called upon the Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court to take note of systemic flaws in the region’s criminal justice system. She proposed a series of reforms including:

Local Lodgement: Prisoners from J&K should be kept in local prisons so that families can visit them and trials can proceed fairly.

Speedy Trials: She emphasized that “justice delayed is justice denied,” urging the judiciary to uphold Article 21 of the Constitution guaranteeing the right to life and liberty.

Transparency in Trials: The accused, she said, must be allowed to attend every hearing to ensure transparency.

Bail, Not Jail: She reiterated the principle that detention should be an exception, not the norm.

Remission, Parole & Furlough: Mehbooba said these are legal rights that must not be treated as “political favours.”

Medical Bail: Should be considered a constitutional safeguard for the ailing.

Implementation of Jail Manuals: Prisons, she said, should reform lives rather than destroy them.

“For years, our youth have been languishing in prisons in Agra, Bareilly, Haryana and other states,” she said. “Their families neither have the means nor the strength to travel such long distances. Trials are delayed, hearings are held in their absence, and justice remains out of reach. This is not the idea of justice our Constitution envisions.”

Reaffirming her belief in the judicial system, Mehbooba expressed optimism that the courts would ultimately uphold justice and human dignity.

“We have faith in our judiciary and hope in our courts. I believe the day is not far when justice will prevail, and our courts will ensure the ‘Ghar Wapsi’ — the return of all J&K prisoners to their homeland,” she concluded.

According to officials privy to the meeting, the issue of “fake journalists” was discussed during yesterday’s high-level review meeting chaired by the Lieutenant Governor in Srinagar. The matter, which had also figured in the recently concluded autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, drew serious concern from the administration.

“The LG was categorical that those misusing the name of journalism must face the law. He directed all Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to take concrete steps to identify such elements and weed them out from the system,” a senior official present in the meeting told news agency Kashmir Dot Com.

The Lieutenant Governor is learned to have also instructed the officers to work jointly to prepare a verified database of accredited and active journalists in every district. Departments have also been told to entertain only those media representatives whose credentials are duly verified by the DIPR.

The Lieutenant Governor further directed that individuals or groups running Facebook pages, online news portals, or social media handles under the banner of journalism must be duly registered and verified by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR). He emphasized that such digital media platforms must be made accountable for the content they publish and should function strictly within the bounds of media ethics and lawful reporting.

Officials said the move comes amid growing complaints that certain individuals posing as journalists were misusing media identification cards or social media platforms to intimidate officials and extract favours. Several legislators in the recent Assembly session had also raised this concern and sought a mechanism to curb the menace.

“The government values the role of genuine journalists who report with integrity and responsibility,” another senior officer said. “However, action against those bringing disrepute to the profession is inevitable.”

Earlier, the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) J&K directed all District Information Officers in Kashmir to intensify vigilance against fake journalists. (KDC)

Palhallan, Nov 03: Two drivers sustained injuries after two tippers collided near the TCP Hyderbeigh area of Palhallan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Monday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the impact of the collision was severe, leaving both vehicles badly damaged. Locals and police immediately rushed to the spot and helped shift the injured drivers to a hospital in Srinagar for advanced treatment.

A police official confirmed the incident and said that both drivers are receiving medical attention. The cause of the accident is being investigated.

The mishap also led to a temporary disruption in traffic movement along the stretch before normalcy was restored. [KNT]

Kulgam, Nov 03: Security forces busted two old terrorist hideouts during a joint search operation in the forest area of Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, officials said on Monday.

An official said that the operation was launched jointly by the 9 Rashtriya Rifles and the police following specific intelligence inputs.

“Two old hideouts were traced and subsequently busted between Ahmadabad and Nengripora forest areas,” the official said.

He said that some items, including gas cylinders and clothes, were recovered from the hideouts while further investigation is underway. —(KNO)