Farooq Abdullah Released, PSA Against Him Revoked
Says Won’t Talk Politics Till Release Of Omar, Mehbooba
Srinagar, March 13, CNS: Jammu and Kashmir government in a sudden move, revoked Public Safety Act (PSA) against former president of National Conference Chief Minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir on Friday and thus indicated the end of his more than seven month long detention.
Farooq Abdullah was put under house arrest during the intervening night of 4th and 5th August 2019, just before the parliament was set to debate revocation of Article 370.
According to CNS initially Dr. Farooq Abdullah was detained for six months and when legally he could not be held further he was slapped with PSA, to extend his detention.
An order signed by Principal Secretary to government Shaleen Qabra regarding the revocation of PSA against Farooq Abdullah reads, “In exercise of powers conferred under section 19(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, the Government hereby revokes the detention order dated 15-09-2019 issued by District Magistrate, Srinagar, extended for a period of 3 months vide government order no Home/PR-V/340 of 2019 dated 13-12-2019 and then extended for a further period of three months vide Government Order No Home/PB-V/668 of 2020 dated 11-03-2020 of Dr. Farooq Abdullah son of Late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah R/o Gupkar Road, Srinagar with immediate effect,”
Safya Abdullah, daughter of Farooq Abdullah tweeted ‘my father is a free man’; however it was not clear whether he will be allowed to move out of his house and will be allowed to resume political activities.
Later in the day, after his release, the media was allowed to meet him at his Gupkar residence, at a brief Press Conference.
Dr Farooq accompanied by his British wife Mollie and daughter Safya Abdullah thanked media for highlighting the political issues and detention of leaders, common masses for prayed for his release and his colleagues’, member Parliaments for their efforts to release him.
He said that he won’t talk anything about politics unless Mehbooba Mufti and other political leaders, including his son Omar Abdullah, are released.
