Jammu: In yet another development, Jammu and Kashmir government will set up a five-
member joint screening committee (JSC) for release of political prisoners and
militants in the state, according to top official sources.
The committee will be headed by principal secretary (home commissioner), home
department of J and K government, the sources said on December 10.
Besides, the committee would have the director general of police (DGP), additional
director general, criminal investigation department (CID), state intelligence chief,
and director general of J and K prisons, the sources said.
The joint director, intelligence bureau (IB), will be permanent representative of
the Central government in the committee, the sources said.
Although exercise of the constitution of this committee has been completed, formal
orders to this effect will be issued in next few days, the sources said.
There will be no major releases of militants in Jammu and Kashmir till the end of
Gujarat elections, where one of the partners of People's Democratic Party
(PDP)-led coalition government, Congress, is in the middle of crucial electoral
battle with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the sources said.
"It is not due to pressure of the Centre that government has gone slow on release
of militants and political prisoners, but due to elections in Gujarat, where BJP is
using card of release of militants against its rival Congress," the sources said.
"The process of release of political prisoners and militants will re-start after
December 12, when Gujarat goes to polls," the sources added.
PTI
