Hakeem condemns slapping of PSA on MLA Mehraj Malik, welcomes parcel train service for apple growers

PDF Chief demands devocation of PSA, Reminds Parties of Election Promises
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) President and former Minister, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, on Friday strongly condemned the slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on Doda MLA Mehraj Malik. He said that PSA, which is meant to deal with criminals and anti-social elements, should never be applied to a public representative.
In a statement issued here on Friday Hakeem said “No doubt, if there was any mistake or slip of the tongue while addressing a public demand, a simple FIR, complaint, or challan could have sufficed. Slapping PSA is not a solution—it only curtails democratic rights and stifles free expression. A normal legal remedy could have saved both the MLA and the administration from the ongoing controversy.”
He added that the move has caused unnecessary distress and expressed his sympathies with the affected families. At the same time, Yaseen urged public representatives to remain cautious and not cross their limits, reminding them that “nobody is above the law of the land.”
On a positive note, Yaseen welcomed the introduction of parcel train services from Budgam to New Delhi for ferrying apples and other Kashmiri produce to markets across India. He expressed gratitude to Government of India, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, calling the move a historic step for Kashmir’s horticulture sector.
“This will provide a big relief to growers and traders, ensuring faster and safer transport of apples and other perishable items. It will strengthen the economic backbone of Jammu and Kashmir and connect farmers to national markets in a time-bound manner,” he said.
Yaseen urged the government to expand this service to other districts so that more farmers could benefit. Yaseen also criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat for serving a show-cause notice to Pulwama MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para over his remarks on Malik’s detention. “There may have been a slip of the tongue, but silencing legislators by notices is not the right approach. The government should instead debate why PSA still exists and work to revoke this black law,” Yaseen said. He reminded that every political party had promised to revoke PSA in their election manifestos, but none acted on it when in power. “The present government has an absolute majority, and it should take the bold decision to repeal PSA once and for all,” he added.