The Jammu and Kashmir administration has released five political leaders who have been under detention since the abrogation of Article 370.
The five leaders belonging to the National Conference (NC), BJP’s former alley Peoples Democratic party and Congress. They were under preventive detention for the past four months.
The leaders included Ishfaq Jabbar and Ghulam Nabi Bhat (NC), Bashir Zahoor Mir (Congress) and Yasir Reshi (PDP), the official said.
Yasir Reshi is a rebel PDP leader who had criticised the former Jammu Kashmir CM and head of PDP party – Mehbooba Mufti.
Last month, the administration released two political leaders – Dilawar Mir of the PDP and Ghulam Hassam Mir of the Democratic Party Nationalist after 110 days of detention.
On the very same, Hakeen Yaseen and Ashraf Mir, the MLAs of last state assembly of the state were shifted to their residence but remain under detention.
These two were among the 34 political leaders who were lodged at the MLA hostel after being shifted from Centaur hotel in Srinagar. These political detainees were shifted on November 18 as Srinagar continued to have harsh winter. The hotel lacked heating arrangement.
Three former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are also under detention.
Farooq Abdullah was slapped with the stringent Public Safety Act on September 17 and remains confined to his residence, whereas Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been detained at different locations in the city.
Mehbooba Mufti was taken to government accommodation in the city from a tourist hut where she was kept.
On August 5, the BJP-led centre had scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 through a presidential order. Internet and other forms of communication services were suspended and continue to remain suspended till this day in Kashmir. Neccessary and basic services in the state are interrupted. The clampdown in the recently bifurcated state into two union territories saw a significant drop in the economy following the abrogation.
Also Read: Fact Check: Did NPR Manual 2020 Specifically Exclude Muslim Festivals From The List?
