Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti is likely to be released from detention soon, officials familiar with the development said on Wednesday.
It wasn’t clear when she will be freed, with speculation over a Wednesday afternoon release proving unfounded.
Her release from over seven months of preventive detention will likely mark the onset of a new political era in the Valley that has been under a lockdown since 5 August, when the erstwhile state was divided into two union territories and its special status revoked.
Already, the two other major political figures in the state—former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah— have been released from custody following Supreme Court orders.
Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti, too, has moved the Supreme Court challenging her mother’s detention.
On Wednesday, Iltija tweeted on Mehbooba Mufti’s handle, “My mother is hearing reports of her imminent release & is grateful for the concern. But she’s upset about thousands of young boys jailed outside J&K. The trauma their families feel due to Covid outbreak is unimaginable.”
Political analysts in the region believe the three leaders are likely to join forces, but that any political movement in the region will be preceded by a demand for restoration of statehood.
“For now Omar Abdullah has made it very clear that the current battle at hand is against coronavirus, said Nisar Ali, a member of the erstwhile J&K finance commission.
“But once this is over, the political leadership may get united on a common minimum programme and they may enter into an agreement with Centre to restore statehood. Only then will the political process start because it will have public participation,” Ali added.
While the region is yet to see fresh panchayat and assembly polls, Ali added that any political narrative in the region would have to go over and beyond the abrogation of Article 370.
“The abrogation of Article 370 has nothing to do with the development process and neither is it correlated with the security scenario. Matters of India and Pakistan are between the two countries. The people are tired of the status quo here and if they (the leaders) come together, there may emerge a consensus of common development, which will include boosting the tourism economy, investment in infrastructure and jobs,” Ali said, adding that the leadership would need to turn over a new leaf in order for the public to repose its faith in them.
Earlier on Wednesday, Omar Abdullah tweeted, “It’s callous & cruel to continue to detain @MehboobaMufti & others at a time like this. There was never justification to detain everyone in the 1st place & none at all to keep them detained as the country enters a 3 week lockdown. I hope @PMOIndia & @HMOIndia will release them.”
A senior official familiar with the matter said the process of revoking the charges made against Mufti under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) and completion of other formalities was underway.
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