After Seven Months, Former Jammu & Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah Freed From Detention, PSA Revoked

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has revoked the Public Safety Act against former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, paving way for his release from detention.In an order, state Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra said the PSA invoked on Abdullah on September 17 and further extended on December 13, has been revoked.?

Welcoming the move, the National Conference said it will be a right step for the restoration of a genuine political process in Jammu and Kashmir, the party said in a statement here on Friday.The NC said the process will receive a further fillip when party vice-president Omar Abdullah and other political detainees are set free. "We urge the government to do so at the earliest," it said.

"As the pre-eminent political party of Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference has played a key role in strengthening the voice of the people through democracy and will continue to do so," the statement said.?

His daughter Safia Abdullah Khan expressed happiness over Twitter and said, "My father is a free man again."The three-term chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state was under house arrest for months.?

Speaking to media after his release, Abdullah said: “I am grateful to the people of the state and country who spoke for my freedom. I would like to thank everyone and every individual who prayed for my freedom,” said 82-year-old Abdullah. “This freedom will be complete only when all the other detained leaders - including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah - in various buildings are released,” he added. “I hope the Government of India will take action soon to release everyone.”?

Iltija Mufti, daughter of incarcerated PDP president and former J & K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti demanded the release of all those detained following revocation of the special status of the erstwhile state under Article 370 of the Constitution. "Time to release all detainees including thousands of young men languishing in jails outside J&K. This has gone on for far too long & must end now," Iltija tweeted.? ?

Several mainstream leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including Farooq's son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, have been also put under house arrest following the abrogation of Article 370 in August that granted special powers to the region.Abdullah was the first chief minister against whom the PSA was invoked.

BCCL

The stringent Act was slapped against him on September 15, hours before the Supreme Court was to hear a petition by MDMK leader Vaiko who claimed that Abdullah had been illegally detained.He was booked under 'public order' of the PSA, a provision that allows authorities to detain a person for three months without trial. This can be extended up to two years.