The J&K administration on Thursday revoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) of senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Naeem Aktar and National Conference leader Hilal Lone, who were arrested on August 5 last year when the Centre revoked J&K’s special status.
“Yes, an order on the revocation of the PSA was handed over to Mr. Akhtar and was allowed to shift home on Thursday evening,” a family member told The Hindu.
Mr. Akhtar, a former Minister during the PDP-BJP rule, was first arrested on August 5 and was later slapped with the stringent PSA and put behind the bars for almost 10 months.
Baramulla MP Muhammad Akbar Lone’s son Hilal was also arrested and slapped with the PSA. Earlier, the J&K High Court quashed the PSA of senior NC leader Ali Muhammad Sagar.
“We welcome the release of Mr. Lone from the unlawful and solitary detention that lasted for nearly 10 months. However, redemption of the situation cannot take place until all detainees languishing inside and outside J&K are released. Scores of our youth are still languishing in jails across the country, it is high time the government allowed them to walk free,” said NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar.
He also demanded immediate release of party leaders including Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Nasir Aslam Wani, Mohammad Shafi Uri, AR Rather, Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan, Mubarak Gul, Shameema Firdous, Mir Saifullah, Ali Muhammad Dar, Dr. Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri, Irfan Shah, Aga Syed Mehmood and Abdul Majeed Larmi from the continuous house arrest.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is now the last prominent political figure to face the PSA in the mainstream camp. She is under house arrest in Srinagar.
Sajad Lone’s J&K Peoples Conference termed the revocation of PSA “as a welcome step”.
“While this is a step in the right direction, the government must also revoke detentions of other political leaders, including PC chairman Sajad Lone and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who continue to remain under house arrest. We also urge the government to unconditionally release political workers and activists booked under the draconian PSA and languishing in jails across the country,” PC spokesperson Adnan Ashraf Mir said.
