J-K Cong asks govt to release political leaders

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has expressed serious concern over the detention of senior party functionaries by the state administration and demanded their immediate release, a spokesperson said on Friday.

Senior party leaders Saifuddin Soz, Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, Haji Abdul Rashid Dar, Gulam Nabi Monga, Farooq Andrabi, Mohd Amin Bhat, Gular Ahmad Wani and others have been placed under house arrest since the midnight of August 4, the JKPCC said in a statement here.

It also said that former minister Usman Majeed and various other leaders, including Hilal Ahmad Shah, have been detained at undisclosed locations.

The party sought immediate release of its leaders, while cautioning the government that caging of people and illegal detention of political leaders wont address the problems in the state.

The JKPCC also expressed serious anguish over the current situation in the wake of the Centre revoking provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to the state and moving a separate bill to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir.

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Gulam Nabi Azad and state Congress chief Gulam Ahmad Mir were barred from entering Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and sent back from the Srinagar airport.