PDP REQUESTS CENTRE TO RELEASE MUFTI

JAMMU:THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday requested the central government to release party president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti from detention.

The party flagged Mufti’s deteriorating health and the absence of a telephone link with her ailing mother to request her release.

Mufti, along with several mainstream and separatist leaders, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, were put under preventive detention ahead of the Centre’s move to strip the erstwhile state’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate it into Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Mufti has been detained at a government guest house in Srinagar, which has been designated as a sub-jail.

Addressing media persons here, party general secretary Ved Mahajan said, “Present political scenario is known to all and we feel that the political leadership of J&K, which has been detained since August 4, should be released immediately.”

“It is very unfortunate that a vindictive approach has been adopted against the political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir, especially against our party president Mehbooba Mufti,” he said.

“Her mother is very old, aged around 78, and she is suffering from various ailments. The landline phone of her mother has not been restored and Mehbooba ji has no communication link with her mother...the detention centre is at a very isolated place. She has no permission to come out of it...and harsh winter has set in. All these things are taking a toll on her health...we request the government to release her immediately,” said Mahajan.