PSA against former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah revoked

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked detention order of former chief minister and Lok Sabha member from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah. He has been under detention for over seven months now. The former chief minister chose to remain silent on political matters, when he addressed tmedia immediately after his release, but repeatedly referred to J&K as a ‘state’ instead of ‘Union Territory.’ Abdullah was released a few days after former minister Altaf Bukhari launched a new political party — Apni Party — which is an amalgam of politicians from different existing political parties. Bukhari’s initiative seems to have paved way for political activity in Kashmir.

“This freedom is not complete. The freedom will be complete when all the leaders – Omar, Mehboobaji and others who are detained in prisons, either in the state or outside the state, in MLA hostel or are in various buildings under house arrest – are released,” said Abdullah, at his residence on Gupkar road here. “I hope the government will take action soon and the people of the state will have freedom and live as free people.”

The administration in its order on Friday stated that Public Safety Act slapped against Abdullah in September and extended in December last year is revoked with immediate effect. Abdullah, like his son and also former chief minister Omar Abdullah, another former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and hundreds of others, was detained on August 5, 2019, when special status of J&K was revoked and the state was downgraded into two Union Territories.


Ministry of Home Affairs recently informed Parliament that around 7,357 persons were taken into preventive custody since August 2019. Out of 451 detained in J&K, the government informed that 396 have been detained under PSA, which includes, Omar, Mehbooba, Shah Faesal, Naem Akhtar and Ali Muhammad Sagar.

The National Conference leader thanked parliamentarians, who fought for his freedom. “I don’t have words to tell you. Today, I am free. I am free. I hope my people will be free. I hope people of the state will be free,” said Abdullah, reiterating that he would go to Parliament and speak for the people of the ‘state’.

On political future of J&K. Abdullah said, “I will answer no question or speak on political matters till everyone is released.”