Srinagar, March 06: Jammu and Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Monday said that he wonders why the government has withheld his passport as there seems to be no ground to deny passport to him.

“I urge the government to come up with the facts as to why my passport has been withheld. Denying me the passport sans logic as there is no solid reason. It’s been three months since I applied for the passport and there is no headway,” he said.

He said he has been issuing statements raising issues of public importance which are all apolitical in nature and that in no way is a ground for withholding the passport.

“In a democracy, one can issue the statement or comment on the issues that are related to common citizens. If that is the reason to deny passport to me, then the government itself is violating the democratic principles,” he said, adding that his children and relatives are settled in foreign countries and that he is not able to meet them.

“My humble request to the government is to have a re-look at my passport and if there is any solid reason to deny it, that should be made public forthwith,” Mufti Nasir said.kno