Srinagar, Feb 20(KNS): Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, expressed her dismay over the suspension of forest guard, Bashir Ahmed, by Langate’s Divisional Forest Officer, for wearing a traditional Kashmiri attire, Pheran.

Mufti called on the local administration to take immediate action in response to what she perceives as a discriminatory act.

She urged authorities to reconsider the suspension and address the underlying issue of cultural insensitivity within the ranks of government officials.

"Langate’s Divisional Forest officer has suspended Bashir Ahmed -a forest guard for wearing a pheran.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe subsequent order smacks of prejudice towards our traditions by deriding him for ‘looking like a shepherd’. Are shepherds sub human? Insensitive and arrogant. Hope local admin takes action immediately," she said in a post on 'X'

Earlier, Divisional Forest Officer Langate issued a suspension order claiming that during his surprise inspection of forest check-post Langate, he found one of the forest officials wearing a ‘pheran’ looking like a shepherd.(KNS).