Iltija seeks permission to visit grave of Mufti Sayeed on his death anniversary

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti wrote a letter to the Additional Director General of Police Munir Khan seeking permission to visit the grave of her maternal grandfather and former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his death anniversary on January 7.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Iltija Mufti, daughter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, on Friday wrote a letter to the administration seeking permission to visit the grave of her maternal grandfather and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in south Kashmir on his fourth death anniversary on January 7.

Iltija, a Special Security Group protectee, has written to the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Munir Khan seeking permission to visit the grave of Sayeed, who died at AIIMS, Delhi, on January 7, 2016, after a brief illness.

In her letter, Iltija has said she and her family would like to visit the grave of her grandfather, a two-time chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, at Dara Shiku of Anantnag district in South Kashmir.

"Since the civil administration and police have stated on record repeatedly that the situation in Kashmir is normal, I don't see why we should be denied permission to offer our tributes at his grave," she said.

"It would be a crying shame if the administration or police denied us the right to even mourn and remember Mufti Saab on his fourth death anniversary."

She also made a reference about Thursday's incident when she had attempted to reach to Sayeed's grave but was detained as she had not sought permission for visiting Anantnag district.

Munir Khan had denied Iltija's claim that she was detained. "The Anantnag district administration did not give clearance for her visit," he had said.

"We also have to keep in mind that she is an SSG protectee who has to take police clearance before visiting anywhere," Khan had added.