Sympathising with terrorists and whitewashing of crimes of pro-terrorist stone pelters in the state has been a chosen political tactic of many leaders, including Mufti in the state.
Zakir Musa, a former Hizbul Mujahideen commander also a close aide of dead terrorist Burhan Wani. Zakir Musa had left the Hizbul in May 2017 and had claimed to lead Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a local affiliate of al-Qaeda