Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday called on Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at his residence here, in a meeting that assumes significance amid growing concern over social issues affecting the valley’s youth.
The meeting between Mufti and the Mirwaiz comes days after the two publicly found common ground over the proposed “Tantra in Silence” retreat in north Kashmir’s Gurez valley over a week ago, with the former separatist leader endorsing the concerns raised by the PDP chief and urging the authorities to take note of the programme.
The details of Sunday’s meeting were not immediately known but sources close to the PDP chief said she met the prominent religious leader as part of her series of follow-up interactions with Kashmir’s youth, scholars, women, stakeholders, artists, and social and political activists with regard to social issues facing Kashmir.
Mufti has been raising concerns on a range of issues through editorials and informal interactions with young people, the sources said.
They further said the former CM’s concerns are being taken up at the appropriate levels, and that Mirwaiz was apprised of the social issues currently facing Kashmir.
The meeting also comes against the backdrop of increasing concern among religious and community leaders over drug abuse, suicide and other challenges confronting young people in Kashmir.
A recent conference of religious scholars headed by Mirwaiz adopted resolutions expressing concern over rising drug abuse, suicides and self-harm among youth, besides other social and environmental issues.
Mirwaiz, who was part of Hurriyat Conference, has said such challenges require a sustained social response and that religious institutions can play a role in creating awareness and encouraging families to seek timely professional help.
The latest meeting also follows a recent public convergence between Mufti and Mirwaiz over the proposed Gurez retreat.
Expressing concern over reports on the “Tantra in Silence” programme scheduled in Gurez valley from September 24 to 27, Mirwaiz had called upon the authorities concerned to stop exploitation of Kashmir’s religious, cultural and social ethos.
He had said the concern raised by the PDP president deserves immediate attention.
“That this kind of programme is being allowed in Gurez in Kashmir, when a similar programme by this organisation was cancelled by police in Goa, due to public outrage over its obscene promotional details, is outrageous!” he said.
Mufti, in an earlier post, had asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and police to intervene and take appropriate action.
The administration subsequently clarified that no official permission or authorisation had been granted for the event.
Sunday’s meeting was the first formal political interaction for the former separatist leader who, as part of the moderate amalgam, had always advocated dialogue to resolve all issues.
After the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, mainstream leaders like Mehbooba Mufti and separatist figures like the Mirwaiz were detained by the Centre, significantly narrowing the traditional political gap between them.
Lately, Mehbooba Mufti has been frequently advocating for complete release of Mirwaiz, criticising the administration whenever he was barred from addressing Friday sermons.
