‘I am back, something will happen’: Tasaduq Mufti makes rare public appearance after 2019

Srinagar, Nov 14: Former Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Tasaduq Hussain Mufti made a rare public appearance in Srinagar on Saturday, saying he had returned after remaining largely…

Srinagar, Nov 14: Former Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Tasaduq Hussain Mufti made a rare public appearance in Srinagar on Saturday, saying he had returned after remaining largely away from public life since 2019 and hinting that “something will happen”. Tasaduq, son of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and brother of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, made the remarks while speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS) on the sidelines of an environmental event.

Asked about his prolonged absence from the media and public life, he said he had not deliberately distanced himself from public engagement. “Now it is time for all of us to understand. I myself was away from these things. Now, God willing, I have come back. Something will happen,” he said. He, however, did not elaborate on what he meant by his return or indicate whether he planned to resume political activities.

A cinematographer by profession, Tasaduq joined the Peoples Democratic Party in January 2017 and was inducted into the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government in December that year. He served as Tourism Minister until the coalition collapsed in June 2018. He has largely stayed away from public engagements since the constitutional changes in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. During the interaction, Tasaduq spoke at length about environmental concerns, including waste management, traffic congestion, unplanned concretisation and the need for comprehensive urban planning.

Describing the event as an opportunity to hear from people working on environmental issues, he said the challenges facing Kashmir needed to be understood collectively. “It was very good. I got to hear a lot and learn a lot. I think all the people here think alike. Whatever problems we have, be it waste or traffic, we need to understand them comprehensively,” he said.

He stressed that environmental concerns should become a priority in public discourse, with greater emphasis on practical solutions and improving everyday life. “Everyday living needs to become important. It needs to be addressed in a manner driven by solutions and by a common dream that we all have for Kashmir,” he said. Tasaduq said efforts should be directed towards making Kashmir cleaner and improving public spaces so that children and elderly people could enjoy the Valley’s surroundings.