J&K parties, including the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday demanded the release of all political leaders ahead of the upcoming Id festival in the Valley.
“Id-ul-Fitr is coming close, I appeal to the Centre and the J&K administration to release our party leaders, including president Mehbooba Mufti, and other political detainees so that they can also celebrate with their family members,” PDP leader M.Y. Bhat said.
An NC spokesman also demanded the release of party general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, who is a six-time legislator and a former Minister.
“It is quite depressing to see people behind bars. NC leaders continue to remain incarcerated at their respective homes and in detention centers. Their only fault is that they have all along been nurturing the values of democracy in J&K. We request the release of all the detainees languishing in jails, detention centres and homes without any delay,” said NC leader Sharief-ud-Din Shariq.
Syed Iqbal Tahir, a spokesman of the Jammu-Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM), whose chief Shah Faesal also remains behind bars under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), concurred. “His [Shah Faesal’s] hope was to carve a new era of politics where the youth actively engage with the democratic system they have shunned over the last few decades,” he said. “His continued detention is a grave misuse of the PSA. The government must unconditionally release all political prisoners.”
Recently-floated Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) leader Ghulam Hassan Mir appealed to the Lieutenant Governor G.C Murmu “to release all political leaders and activists as a goodwill gesture to enable them to celebrate the holy festival with their families.”
“All the political leaders, lawyers, tradesmen and social activists who are still under preventive detention should be released ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr as an initiative to build an environment of mutual trust and confidence among the public,” Mr. Mir said.
