PDP delegation to meet incarcerated Mehbooba on Monday

Barely hours after a National Conference delegation met its incarcerated party president and vice-president in Srinagar on Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration permitted a PDP delegation from Jammu to meet detained party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday.

Mehbooba, NC president Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, are among dozens of regional party leaders, who are undergoing detention since August 5, when the Parliament scrapped J&K’s special status under Article 370.

Earlier on Sunday, a 15-member NC delegation from Jammu led by senior party leader Davender Singh Rana called on incarcerated Abdullahs in Srinagar after permission from J&K governor Satya Pal Malik.

Sources said with the latest meetings, the state administration is set to release at least six leaders in the first phase to pave way for the resumption of political activities in the Valley.

However, they said, that the release of these leaders, discussed during Saturday’s high-level meeting, might take place after the bi-annual Durbar Move and formation of two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh on October 31.

Six political leaders, whose names were discussed for release in the first phase, included Ali Mohammad Sagar, former Minister and Ishfaq Jabbar, former MLA from Ganderbal (both National Conference), Shah Faesal, bureaucrat-turned politician, who has floated his own Jammu and Kashmir’s People Movement, Naeem Akhter, former Minister (People’s Democratic Party), Junaid Mattoo (Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation) and Sheikh Imran (Deputy Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation).

Junaid Mattoo is under house arrest while five others have been arrested and lodged in temporary jails.

Sources said Farooq Abdullah could also be released in the first week of November after the withdrawal of charges against him under the Public Safety Act (PSA). However, no final decision has been taken so far, they added.

“The administration first wants smooth bi-annual Durbar Move scheduled for October 25 and establishment of two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh on October 31. Thereafter, it would consider the release of political leaders in the first phase whose names were discussed today and revocation of PSA charges on Farooq Abdullah,” they added.