SRINAGAR – The Jammu and Kashmir administration has released from house arrest four politicians one each from the NC, PDP, PC and Congress — after keeping them in detention for over five months following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, officials said on Friday.
The four politicians released late Thursday night include a former minister and a former deputy Speaker of the last Assembly of the erstwhile state.
“Former minister Abdul Haq Khan from PDP, former deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, former MLA Mohammad Abbas Wani from Peoples Conference and former MLA Abdul Rashid from Congress have been released from house detention,” the officials said.
Earlier, five political leaders were released, including National Conference leaders Altaf Kaloo, Showkat Ganaie and Salman Sagar, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders Nizamuddin Bhat and Mukhtar Bandh. Salman Sagar is a former mayor of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
On December 30, five mainstream politicians, including two MLAs were released from detention by the JK Union Territory administration. As many as 35 mainstream leaders were moved to MLA hostel in the heart of this capital city from Centaur Hotel on the banks of Dal Lake in view of harsh weather conditions.
However, three former chief ministers — Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to remain under detention.