SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government today re~ leased five top political leaders from long detention in a move Considered to be a step towards initiating a political process in the trouble-tom state.
The leaders are Syed Ali Shah Geelani (Jamaat-e-Islami) Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat (Muslim Conference) Maulvi Mohammad Abbas Ansari convener of the Muslim United Front (MUF) Qazi Nissar Ahmad (MUF) and Mr. Abdul Gani Lone (Peoples Conference). They were arrested soon after the eruption of militancy in the Kashmir Valley in early 1990.
The director general of State police Mr. B.S. Bedi told PTT that orders for the release of the detained leaders were palled by the government today.
According to sources the leaders rejected the state government’s offer of being released on parole. It is the first step towards enabling the traditional political leaders of Kashmir to resume nominal over ground activity in the Valley in due course of time.
Observers see the possible reactivation of the valleys political leaders as a “provocation” for some underground organizations to constitute their political wings. The first to do so was the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front which recently named its jailed former commander-in-chief Mr Rasin Malik as the party president.
The banned Peoples League followed suit by announcing the merger of its two factions and enticing its political leadership in Shabir Ahmad Shah and Farooq Ahmed Rehmani The former is in detention and latter is in Pakistan.
However sources suggest that a flurry of political activity is in the offing even as the Center is in no mood to stem its ongoing drive against the militants.
Several political leaders including the PCC chief, M. C.R Kar have been demanding the release of the detained leaders.
The leaders who were released today were shifted recently to Jammu Jail.
However Mr Shabir Ahmad Shah who was also expected to be released along with five others was not released.
Meanwhile nine persons including a militant were killed and 26 subversive nabbed in the Valley since last night.
Three persons including an area commander of a militant outfit were abducted by militants during this period an official spokesman {old reporters this evening.
Militants belonging to the Hisbul Mujahideen abducted an area commander of a militant outfit from Sultanpora Magam village in Baramullh district. While dong so they shot dead his sister and seriously injured his mother and three other persons of the area all of them succumbed to their injures later police sources said. He said two persons Mohammad Sultan and Mohammad Latief Shah sustained splinter injuries when militants hurled two grandees on security pickets at Nowhatta Chowk in Downtown city. One person was killed and another sustained bullet wounds in cross-firing at four places; Anantnag district of Sour Kashmir.
Militants fired on four security pickets in the town provoking the security men to retaliate one injured person identified as Ghulam Qadir Bhat later succumbed to injuries the spokesman said A body was recovered at Yaripora yesterday the spokesman said adding that the victim Sajad Ahamed Khan was reportedly Killed by the militants
Abdul Hamid Rather of Nowgam a militant belonging to the Hizbul Majahideen committed suicide by shooting himself yesterday the spokesman said.
He said Mohammad Abdullah Rather a passenger was killed when militants fired upon a bus which was on its way a Bent in Badgam district from Chaki Kawoosa.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1992
