Meanwhile, two PDP leaders complete 100 days in detention

By: Musaib Iqbal MK

Srinagar

Memories in politics are short lived, and fits into the news item of today when some news agencies reported that two former ministers of PDP regarded as eyes and ears of Mehbooba Mufti completed 100 days in preventive detention on Friday.

While Mehbooba Mufti herself was questioned for four hours by ED on Thursday, these two politicians of PDP were taken to preventive detention on the counting day of DDC elections and have been put behind the bars.

According to news agency KDC Naeem Akhtar and Sartaj Madni have completed 100 days in detention on Friday. It further said both the leaders were detained by Jammu and Kashmir police on 21 December last year a day before counting of votes for District Development Council (DDC) polls in J-K, reported a local news agency, KDC.

A senior PDP leader told the agency that both detained leaders have completed 100 days of fresh detention “without any charge or trial”, adding that “the only crime duo committed is they fought for the idea of democracy”.

Meanwhile, daughter of detained Akhtar, Shehryar Khanum told the agency that her father has been detained “without any solid evidence”, and keeping in view the health conditions of her ailing father, she requested the administration to review his detention several times but hasn’t received any updates on that.

“Preventive detention in my father’s case makes no sense as from the time he was released previously and till he was taken another time, there is no public record of him having called any disruption or threat to peace,” Khanum added.

She said: “My father has served on top posts in the earlier government including spokesperson and suddenly declaring such a person as a threat to peace is unusual and authorities need to come up with solid reasons for his detention as till date they haven’t received any formal detention order in this regard.”

Earlier, many political leaders, including from the National Conference, had called for immediate release of all political detainees saying “the unjustified and prolonged detentions reek of fear and repression.”

With inputs from KDC