J&K administration releases five political leaders from detention since scrapping of Art 370

The five leaders, belonging to the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, were kept in preventive detention for the last four months.

The leaders included Ishfaq Jabbar and Ghulam Nabi Bhat of NC and Bashir Mir Zahoor Mir and Yasir Reshi from PDP, reports said.

On Nov 25, two political leaders and former MLAs-Dilawar Mir of the PDP and Ghulam Hassan Mir of the Democratic Party Nationalist-were released by the new Union Territory administration after 110 days of detention.

Former chief ministers-Farooq Abdulalh, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are also under detention.

Kashmir issue

On August 5, the Indian government scrapped the Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The government bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir with an assembly and Ladakh without an assembly.

Article 35A of the Indian Constitution allowed the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and also provided special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.

Article 370 allowed Jammu and Kashmir to have its own constitution, flag and right to handle its own laws except on matters that impact national security.

Since the announcement of the decision, Kashmir is under restrictions as a precautionary measure and to prevent any untoward situation.

Image credit : IBNS FILE