Meet new generation J-K politician whose aunt was kidnapped by terrorists, now ready to take over mother’s legacy

As the first phase of the much-awaited Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections approaches, all eyes are on Iltija Mufti. Contesting from the family stronghold of Bijbehara, the young PDP leader and daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti faces National Conference’s Bashir Veeri.

At 37, Iltija represents the third generation of the Mufti family in politics. She has stepped in at a time when, as she says, the party “is at its weakest.” While recently responding to accusations of dynastic politics, she emphasised in an interview that she is more than her mother’s daughter and is not being handed a crown. Instead, she says she will have to work hard to revive the party.

Iltija was appointed as Mehbooba Mufti’s media advisor in August last year and has been managing her mother’s social media since 2019. She has also represented her mother in interviews, especially after Mehbooba Mufti was placed under house arrest in 2020.

With a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Warwick, UK, Iltija has gained recognition for her outspoken views.

In her campaign, Iltija has promised to focus on civil liberties and restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. She believes the PDP could play a significant role in the Assembly elections, possibly emerging as kingmakers if no party secures a majority.

When her aunt was kidnapped

In 1989, her aunt Rubaiya Saeed was kidnapped by Kashmiri separatist militants in Srinagar. The militants, members of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), demanded the release of five terrorists: Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Sher Khan, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Altaf Ahmed, and Javed Ahmed Jargar. The kidnapping also involved JKLF chief Yasin Malik, who is now being tried for his role in the abduction.

Rubaiya was abducted on December 8, 1989, near her home in Nowgam while returning from the Lal Ded Memorial Women’s Hospital. Four armed men forced her out of a bus and into a waiting car. 

The then J-K government, led by Farooq Abdullah, initially resisted meeting the militants' demands. However, after negotiations involving senior officials and politicians, including Union Cabinet Ministers Inder Kumar Gujral and Arif Mohammad Khan, Rubaiya was released on December 13, 1989, following the release of the five jailed militants.

This episode remains a significant part of the Mufti family’s history as Iltija steps into the political spotlight.