Mehbooba Mufti write to Home minister Amit Shah to view Yasin Malik’s case through a humanitarian lens. Said “While I differ with his political ideology, but one cannot ignore the courage it took him to renounce violence and choose the path of political engagement and non violent dissent” Former CM Mehbooba Mufti in a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah wrote “ I write to you not merely as a witness but as someone who has lived through the turbulent times of Jammu and Kashmir, bearing its grief, enduring its silences, and holding on to its fragile hopes. This letter is written not in defiance but in faith, faith in the promise of reconciliation and in the belief that this great nation, even in its most challenging moments, can still choose healing over hurt. I earnestly appeal to your esteemed office for a compassionate and urgent review of the case of Yasin Malik, a name that once symbolized resistance, later chose restraint, and now remains silenced behind prison walls. His story is not simple as no story born of conflict ever is. Yet what matters most is the profound transformation he undertook and the trust he placed in the State when he renounced violence and chose the path of political engagement and non-violent dissent.” Mufti further said “Yasin Malik's journey is no secret to the Indian State. In 1994, he took a courageous and rare decision to lay down arms and embrace political, non violent means to pursue change. According to his sworn affidavits, this shift was neither unilateral nor impulsive but encouraged and facilitated through back-channel understandings with Indian agencies. Over the years, Malik engaged in dialogues involving senior officials, intelligence personnel, and even controversial figures like Hafiz Saeed, all with the tacit consent of Indian agencies. These efforts represented a painstaking and deliberate attempt to build bridges in a deeply fractured land. For years, these quiet understandings held. Malik participated in talks, traveled with official clearance, and was regarded even if reluctantly as a crucial bridge between estranged realities. He was granted bail in all 32 pending TADA cases, none of which the government pursued. Malik asserts that this truce was honoured for 25 years across the tenures of Narasimha Rao, Vajpayee, Gujral, Manmohan Singh, and even Modi's first term. Yet everything changed after August 2019. Old cases were resurrected, the JKLF was banned, and the man once seen as a potential peace interlocutor was recast as a terrorist, sentenced to life imprisonment, and now potentially facing the death penalty.” Mehbooba Added “The world is rapidly changing, and hostility appears to be triggering a reset in global politics. Yet India need not reinvent the wheel to secure its strategic and economic interests. Visionary leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji and Dr. Manmohan Singh understood and pursued with quiet conviction that our country's enduring strength flows from dialogue, not domination. Trust in the people of Jammu and Kashmir is fundamental. Unfortunately, we Kashmiris remain marginalized, our voices excluded from decisions that shape our lives. This must change if durable peace and a secure environment for democracy, development, and growth in Jammu and Kashmir, and indeed the region and country, are to be realized. Brute force must give way to the healing touch of dialogue, and constitutional rights must be restored. In light of Malik's long-standing commitment to non-violence, the urgent need for reconciliation, and the humanitarian dimensions of this case, I earnestly implore your office to consider a compassionate reassessment. This appeal does not seek to undermine the judiciary's authority but calls for the responsible exercise of democratic instruments to honour both justice and mercy. The spirit of India, I firmly believe, lies in our capacity to show magnanimity and uphold promises made in pursuit of peace.” Mufti request Shah “kindly initiate a compassionate and considered review of Yasin Malik's case. Closing the door forever on a man who once chose peace risks shattering the fragile trust essential for meaningful dialogue. If that trust breaks irreparably, every Kashmiri feeling disillusioned and abandoned will withdraw from engaging with the Indian government towards the larger vision of peace and reconciliation. Such an outcome would perpetuate the cycle of conflict and alienation and extinguish hope for healing this fractured land for generations to come.” Earlier Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik has filed a new affidavit in the Delhi High Court, claiming that he was thanked by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after meeting Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed in 2006. The meeting, Malik alleges, was arranged at the request of India's Intelligence Bureau (IB) as part of a back-channel peace process.  Malik claims that his participation in back-channel peace efforts with multiple Indian governments, including meetings with top officials and politicians, was later "distorted to brand me a terrorist," calling it a "classic betrayal". He stated “ I met with Saeed and other militant leaders in Pakistan in 2006, where he advocated for non-violence. Malik claims this was done at the IB's request during his visit for earthquake relief work. After his return from Pakistan, Malik alleges he briefed the then-Prime Minister and National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan. He also claims that Singh thanked him for his efforts in reaching out to hardline leaders. The affidavit chronicles Malik's meetings with top Indian political leaders across different administrations, including former Prime Ministers and cabinet ministers, to discuss Kashmir.  JKLF Chief Yassen Malik is currently serving a life sentence in a terror-funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), to which he pleaded guilty in 2022, and Delhi High Court is hearing a plea by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to enhance his life term to a death sentence. The affidavit was filed in response to the NIA's plea.  The affidavit has triggered a political controversy in India, with the BJP questioning the UPA government's national security approach during its tenure.