Farooq Abdullah urges political parties in J-K to unite to demand bringing back detainees lodged in jails outside UT

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday appealed to all political leaders to unite in their demand to immediately shift all the people from Jammu and Kashmir who are detained in jails outside the union territory, post the abrogation of Article 370 and release them as soon as possible.

"While we would like to see them all released as soon as possible, pending that they should be shifted to Jammu and Kashmir. This is a humanitarian demand and I hope others will join me in placing this demand in front of the government of India," Abdullah said in a statement.

He appealed to all political leaders to unite behind the call to the union government to bring back all detainees from J-K in prisons outside.

"I'm acutely aware that compared to hundreds of Kashmiri families I've been far more fortunate. I was detained at home and my family had access to me. Yesterday when I went to meet my son Omar, I had to travel a kilometre from my home to be able to see him," Abdullah said.

"This is especially so, considering the number of people detained in August last year who remain in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

"While I believe a free and frank exchange of political views is essential so that we can take stock of the momentous changes that J & K has seen after 5th Aug 2019, we're still some way away from an environment where such political discourse will be possible," he added.

Farooq Abdullah was last week released after being in detention for several months.

Many mainstream leaders in Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq Abdullah's son Omar and People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti have been also put under house arrest following the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir in August last year.