Mehbooba and Mehdi's dangerous rhetoric against army & security forces in the aftermath of Pahalgam

Mudasir Dar is a social and peace activist based in South Kashmir. He is a Rashtrapati Award recipient in world scouting and has contributed to many local and national publications on a diverse range of topics, including national security, politics, governance, peace, and conflict. LESS ... MORE
In Kashmir, conflict is not merely fought with guns; it is waged with words, selectively deployed to shift culpability and obscure truth. The recent statements by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi in connection with the death of 23-year-old Imtiaz Ahmad Magray in Kulgam reflect this enduring trend—a calculated deployment of grief as political capital and a deliberate distortion of facts at the cost of national security, institutional integrity, and public peace.
According to credible reports and video documentation, Magray was not a victim of state atrocity as claimed, but a confessed terror associate who led security forces to two hideouts known to host Pakistani terrorists. During a supervised and videographed operation, he leapt into the Vishaw River—an act captured on camera, not conjured through conjecture. Yet, without awaiting postmortem reports or magisterial inquiry, senior political figures took to social media and public platforms to declare this an extrajudicial killing, spinning a narrative of Army brutality that collapsed under the weight of evidence within hours.
It is not just one factual occurrence that is a matter here but rather, the form in which truth has been systematically distorted. Such wild claims are not outliers in a post-truth world where reality has no place, and perception is everything. It is an indication of an underlying mental illness. The purposeful political cleansing of terror-appearing individuals alongside the systematic blurring of counterterrorism as oppression, aid, and victimhood as martyrdom of the state and a peaceful nation's adversaries turns peacemakers.
Yet, Ruhullah Mehdi, the sitting MP from Srinagar, issued an official press statement on May 4th, declaring: 'Imtiyaz was picked up by the Security Forces days ago, and today, he was returned to his family lifeless… Arbitrary detentions, custodial killings, and torture are violations of every democratic and legal principle.'
He further suggested that this incident is reflective of a broader pattern of abuse and equated counterterrorism with collective punishment—a charge commonly levied by Pakistan-sponsored propagandists.
Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, doubled down on the narrative through social media, asserting:
'Post the Pahalgam attack, reports of arbitrary detentions, alleged custodial torture & harassment of locals are pouring in from across South Kashmir. Imtiyaz's body was recovered from a stream in Kulgam. His family alleges he was taken by forces two days ago. Demands accountability'.
This framing—deliberate and highly emotive—suggests institutional impunity without evidence, and positions Magray as a civilian victim rather than a terror associate caught within the operational complexities of an active conflict zone.
What Mehbooba and Mehdi have done is not mere political commentary. It is the conscious insertion of unverified narrative into a volatile environment, drawing dangerous equivalence between the Indian security apparatus and foreign-backed militant violence. This whitewashes terrorism, blurs the line between the guilty and the innocent, and feeds directly into the ecosystem of insurgent propaganda.
This is hardly the first such narrative trap. After the Hyderpora incident and many others as well and the most notorious outrage, the killing of Burhan Wani started glorifying him posthumously, resulting in one of the most violent outbreaks the world has seen in recent years. Political capturing of all the wars to extract sympathy exploited Pakistan funded separatist ecosystems using survivors' fury to and opening of a floodgate of violence was enabled because in every single case, the distortion of facts.
The reason for the latest disinformation campaign is equally perplexing. It follows closely on the heels of the Pahalgam terror attack by foreign funded Pakistani terrorists who indiscriminately shot helpless tourists. This barbarism on innocent civilians was intended to escalate the sheer violence and terrorism in the region. Amidst such chaos there is usually a semblance of political unity irrespective of party lines. However, in this case, there is no complete unity showcasing instead deep engineered fragmentation of focus away from violence to governance.
This change in narrative, completely fabricated as it might be, is not simply irresponsible. In fact, this could spell disaster. During such times of globalization, where global discourse can be transported to different places in an instant, misinformation of such magnitude carries a distinct type of psychological impact. It validates militants across the border, backs TRF sponsored terrorism, and identifies India as the other democracy in the world which is bearing the gob of democracy devoid of any international regard, especially in alarming situations were reputation dictates international collaboration on sensitive issues.
This misinformation is not simply reckless; rather, it is a strikingly harmful tactic. In this over-texted world where stories spread within minutes, any politically motivated misinformation is nothing short of propaganda. It galvanizes aggressive forces beyond the border, serves to strengthen the narratives of terrorist proxies like The Resistance Front (TRF), and whittles away Indian democracy's international credibility, which is already strained in contexts where diplomacy constitutes perception management.
More dangerously, it corrodes public trust in institutions that are already operating under immense pressure. The Army, paramilitary forces, and intelligence agencies operating in Kashmir are engaged in one of the world's most complex counterinsurgency efforts. Their success depends not just on firepower, but on legitimacy. When mainstream political leaders begin to echo the language of radical proxies—whether wittingly or out of desperation—they contribute to the very insurgency they claim to oppose.
Hence, Mehbooba Mufti and Ruhullah are equally guilty, not just synonymously morally but legally too. There is a gap of just a few words between the two leaders. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) law, someone is prosecutable for telling lies that threaten public peace or disrupt counter-terror activities. Speech that is free is not compensated with the right to create martyrdom or in this case manufactured martyrdom. A person sitting at a prominent political seat who uses acts of violence with the view to harm the state of a region suffering indicative pain does not soothe the state.
This is ultimately, and quite simply, a truth about a deficit of political legitimacy. With the traditional support bases, which is a specific area or group that a politician will often use to gain votes from, there are many leaders who get cut off the modern narratives. Certain leaders turn to moralization of indifference or the true lies inversion. Self-victimization is the font where relevancy is needed however, collision between relevant and irrelevant goes. Irrespective of all demonic tactics utilized, these are not just destructive to peace, . But such tactics are deeply corrosive—not just to peace, but to the very idea of democratic politics in conflict zones.
Kashmir today stands at an inflection point. After years of bloodshed, there was finally a semblance of normalcy before this Pahalgam Attack .Youth were returning to classrooms, not training camps. Tourism was reviving. Elections, once boycotted, were now celebrated as participatory milestones. But all of this progress remains fragile. It can be undone not just by bullets, but by words—as was seen in the Pahalgam attack ,how some statements of the political leaders manufactered this bloodshed ,words that delegitimised the state, that gave cover to terror, and that turned the battle for peace into a battlefield of perception.
Let us be clear: to question the state is democratic. To mislead the public is not. To mourn a death is human. To manufacture martyrdom is not. And to stand for human rights is noble—but only if one also condemns the killers of humans, not just the keepers of order. It is time we stop letting terrorists write our headlines, and stop allowing political opportunists to become their editors.
Let the facts breathe. Let the law function. And above all, let us not allow Kashmir to bleed again—not through gunfire, but through narrative betrayal.
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author's own.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

33 minutes ago

• Time of India

Babbar Khalsa terror module busted; 7 high-end pistols, 6kg heroin seized; 3 arrested

Amritsar: Punjab Police seized seven sophisticated pistols and over 6kg heroin in two operations conducted in Amritsar on Saturday. Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar informed that police busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module after the arrest of a local operative, Onkar Singh. During the operation, police seized four Glock-make pistols and two PX5. A preliminary probe revealed that the BKI module was operated by UK-based handler Dharam Singh alias 'Dharma Sandhu', who is believed to be an associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda. An FIR was registered, and an investigation is under way to uncover the broader network, said the commissioner. In the second case, police dismantled a cross-border drug-smuggling racket with the arrest of two key operatives—Lovepreet Singh alias Love and Balwinder Singh alias Bobby. Police seized 6.15kg heroin, one PX5 pistol, four live cartridges, and Rs 10,000 in drug money from their possession, informed Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav. The initial probe indicated that the accused were in direct contact with Pakistani smugglers through WhatsApp, highlighting a strong cross-border

The Hindu

34 minutes ago

• The Hindu

We shouldn't expect smooth sailing all time: Jaishankar on neighbourhood ties, volatility

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India 'should not expect smooth sailing' all the time when it comes to its ties with the neighbouring countries but asserted that New Delhi has tried to create a 'collective interest' to build an inherent stability in relationships, irrespective of the regime. At the end of the day, 'the logic every one of our neighbours must realise' is that working with India will 'give you benefits', and not working with India 'has a cost', he said, without elaborating. 'Some take longer to realise; some understand it better. One exception, of course, is Pakistan, because it has defined its identity under the Army; in a way it has an in-built hostility in it. So if you put Pakistan aside, the logic will apply everywhere else,' the EAM said during an interactive session hosted on DD India. Dr. Jaishankar shared a link to the nearly hour-long interaction on his X handle on Saturday (June 21, 2025) night. In conversation with @sreeramchaulia on 11 years of Foreign Policy in the Modi era. @DDNewslive — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 21, 2025 In conversation with a strategic expert, he was also asked about the changes in stance of the U.S. and China in the last 11 years and how New Delhi looked at this change. 'Where the U.S. is concerned, yes, there is unpredictability; therefore, at a systemic level, you stabilise it with as many linkages and relationships as possible,' Dr. Jaishankar said. 'With China, if you have to stand up to that country — and we have had some very difficult periods — so it's important to prepare the capabilities,' he said. Opinion: Understanding India's China conundrum The ties between the two countries nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. The Minister said one of the 'really perplexing' aspects of India's China policy was the 'complete neglect of our border infrastructure in the previous decades'. 'To have a China policy and neglect your border infrastructure was absurd,' he argued. 'And, that is one of the things which has changed. We have today that standing up, in defence of our national interests, along the LAC. It is because we have built the border infrastructure to make that possible,' Dr. Jaishankar said. During the conversation, he spoke at length about the deepening of ties with countries in India's neighbourhood and the increase in outreach to the Gulf nations in the last 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as the deepening of ties with the ASEAN and Indo-Pacific regions. He (Modi) has 'given us a goal' but also, in many ways, charted a path to get there, the EAM said. Dr. Jaishankar also mentioned the ongoing Operation Sindhu launched by India to evacuate its nationals from conflict-hit areas as military confrontation between Israel and Iran intensified. Recalling Operation Ganga, he said it was the 'most complex one' because evacuation was taking place during war-time in Ukraine. On volatility in India's neighbourhood and regime changes that have been ostensibly not favourable to India's interests, he said, 'there will be changes'. 'We have tried to create a culture, a system and a collective interest, so that even if there is instability, the collective interest is stronger than those who are advocating distancing,' Dr. Jaishankar said. He cited instances of Sri Lanka and how, despite a change in regime, bilateral ties are good. Dr. Jaishankar also said that even after the initial period of difficulties, ties with Maldives are better. 'Nepal... We are often in their internal politics; very often we get dragged in. We should not expect smooth sailing all the time; that never happens for any country with its neighbours,' he said. 'But you should also not throw up your hands when things get difficult. That's poor planning,' he said. Dr. Jaishankar also emphasised that New Delhi is doing the 'sensible thing', which is to create systems, 'create common interests, and create an inherent stability in that relationship, whichever is the regime'. On counter-terrorism and India's outlook towards Pakistan, he said the Mumbai attack was, in many ways, a 'turning point', and the sentiment in this country was, now 'enough is enough, things have to change'. The 26/11 Mumbai attack, probably one of the worst terrorist assaults on any city, was let 'unpunished', the EAM said, adding that 'we had decades of a policy and outlook towards Pakistan'. But the Modi government changed that approach, the EAM said, and cited the 2016 Uri surgical strike, the 2019 Balakot air strike and the recent Operation Sindoor. 'What we have done is to really create a new normal, that the initiative will not always be with you, and that you can do horrible things and think there is impunity because you are on that side,' he said. Dr. Jaishankar also said that counter-terrorism actions and abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir should not be seen as single ideas, but part of a 'holistic thinking'. During the conversation, the Union Minister described Modi as a 'leader of his times'. Opinion: Resetting the India-U.S. partnership in uncertain times There has been an evolution of public sentiments; the country has changed, and the 'PM reflects that change in mood, self-confidence', he said. On the changing stances of the U.S. and China over the past decade, he said that 'what you are talking about are trendlines, which didn't happen one fine day; they developed over many years'. He said what India has systematically tried to do is to 'deepen our posture, our strategic posture, to have good relations with all major countries, but also other regions, so that we get into the optimal position'. 'We have been planning for a multipolar world, one, of course, we desire, because that gives us a higher profile and more influence,' Dr. Jaishankar said. In the last 11 years of foreign policy, the consistent theme underpinning it is 'multipolarity', he asserted. 'You need to have that clarity, you need to envision the world today... Multiple poles are competing but cooperating with each other. But, here, we tried to have in a way the least problems and most benefits,' he added.

First Post

34 minutes ago

• First Post

FATF links dual-use equipment seized by India to Pakistan's missile programme

A dual use equipment seized by India from a Pakistan bound merchant vessel in 2020 is linked to Islamabad's National Development Complex that is involved in the country's missile development programme, a new report by the Financial Action Task Force has said. read more India's 2020 seizure of Pakistan-bound dual-use equipment has been linked to Islamabad's missile development programme, according to a new report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The equipment, intercepted from a merchant vessel is associated with Pakistan's National Development Complex, a key entity involved in the country's missile development. FATF, the global financial watchdog, referenced the case in its latest report, which outlines risks and vulnerabilities in the international financial and trade systems. The incident was cited under a section highlighting the misuse of the maritime and shipping sectors to move sensitive goods, including dual-use items that can be repurposed for weapons programmes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In 2020, Indian custom authorities seized an Asian-flagged ship bound for Pakistan. During an investigation, Indian authorities confirmed that documents mis-declared the shipment's dual-use items,' the FATF report said. 'Indian investigators certified the items for shipment to be 'Autoclaves', which are used for sensitive high energy materials and for insulation and chemical coating of missile motors,' the report said. It said these sensitive items are included in dual-use export control lists of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The bill of lading of the seized cargo provided evidence of the 'link between the importer and the National Development Complex, which is involved in the development of long-range ballistic missiles,' it said. The export of equipment such as the autoclaves without formal approval from various authorities is a violation of existing law, the FATF said. Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC) has played a crucial role in the development of Pakistan's missile programme. India had seized the dual-use equipment from merchant vessel Da Cui Yun at Kandla port in Gujarat on February 3, 2020. The Indian customs authorities had stopped the vessel for wrongly declaring an autoclave, which can be used in construction of missiles, as an 'industrial dryer'. The report said that significant vulnerabilities remain across the global financial system in countering the financing of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Despite the grave threat posed by proliferation financing (PF), only 16 per cent of countries assessed by the FATF and its global network have demonstrated high or substantial effectiveness' in a process that evaluates the implementation of targeted financial sanctions under the United Nations Security Council resolutions on proliferation. The report said that unless the public and private sectors urgently bolster technical compliance and effectiveness, those seeking to finance WMD proliferation will continue to exploit weaknesses in existing controls. The report provided a detailed analysis of the evolving methods and techniques used to evade PF-related sanctions. 'Illicit actors are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to evade sanctions and circumvent export controls,' it said. With inputs from agencies