Jammu: Continuing with its drive to release political detenus, the Jammu and Kashmir
government has freed four leaders, including a Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front
(JKLF) vice chairman and a former spokesman of Hurriyat Conference, who were held
under the Public Safety Act.
Pervaiz Ahmad Dar, a senior People's League and Hurriyat Conference leader was
released on bail from the central jail Srinagar on November 14 after a 10-month
detention under the Public Safety Act, official sources said.
Bashir Ahmed Bhat of JKLF, Sheikh Abdul Rasheed of the Hurriyat and Abdul Rahim
Wani, a district president of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), were
released from the Kot Balwal jail near Jammu on November 13, official sources said
on November 14.
Bhat and Rasheed were released after the expiry of the term of their detention under
PSA, the sources said, adding that the two were again taken into custody by police
for completing some legal formalities.
Wani, who is the Kupwara district president of PDP and a member of its executive,
was arrested under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) alongwith his two bodyguards
in December 2001.
He was granted bail in July by the designated court, but re-arrested the same day
under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and was later lodged in Kot Balwal jail, they
said, adding that the two bodyguards are still behind the bars.
With the release of the three, the government has so far set free eight detenus. On
November 11, the government had released JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik.
PTI
