Srinagar (J&K): Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti's mother have been issued a passport by the authorities following directions by the High Court to the Regional Passport Office. Gulshan Nazir, wife of former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and mother of Mehbooba Mufti, was issued the passport on Friday as per officials.
The passport was issued following orders by the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. The court had directed the passport officer to consider the whole matter afresh and pass orders within six weeks. The court observed that "the applicant, who claims to be an elderly person shall not be liable for any adverse security”.
In the absence of a report, she cannot be deprived of the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of the country, the court said. Earlier, Gulshan could not embark on the Haj pilgrimage in 2020 due to la ack of a passport, which was not renewed by the authorities for the past three years. The passport was not renewed in 2021 on an adverse report filed by the intelligence wing of the police, which provides vital security clearance for the issuance of passports.
Also read: Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti alleges her passport renewal held up 'intentionally'
In 2021, Gulshan Nazir applied, but it was rejected by a court after the Regional Passport Office told the court that the CID department of the Jammu and Kashmir police had made an adverse report in this regard. Pertinently, earlier this month, Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltja Mufti also accused the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) CID office of blocking her passport.
She alleged that the department concerned had not done the passport verification deliberately for the last six months to prevent her from travelling abroad. Mehbooba's mother Gulshan Nazir has generally stayed away from politics. However, when the Government of India revoked Article 370 to end the semi-autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, she was also put under house arrest along with her daughter at their official residence on Gupkar Road.
Gulshan was recently seen hugging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the latter's arrival in Srinagar on the Bharat Jodo yatra. The security agencies of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir have barred several prominent persons, including journalists from traveling abroad. Last year, Pultizer award winner photographer Sanna Irshad Mattoo was disallowed to travel to the US to receive her award. The rights bodies have criticised the government for imposing a travel ban on citizens.
