Islamabad (Anantnag), Aug 27: Authorities on Saturday released the President of Jammu and Kashmir Umat-I-Islami, Mirwaiz South Kashmir, Qazi Yasir Ahmad, after 14 months of detention.
 Yasir was arrested during last year’s summer unrest in July and was booked  under Public Safety Act (PSA) and shifted to Kotbalwal Jail, Jammu.
 High Court quashed his detention under PSA four times but he was each time booked under fresh one. He was later shifted to Central jail, Srinagar. He was briefly allowed to participate in the funeral of his uncle last month following the court directions.
 On Friday, Yasir was shifted to Bijbehara Police Station from Central
 Jail, Srinagar, according to the police, he had some case registered against him in Bijbehara Police Station. However, the family members said that Yasir had already got bail in those cases and the authorities only wanted to “prolong his detention.”
 “He was set free only after we went with a bail application to the police station,” said one of his family members. 
 The Government had ordered the release of several youth detained on the charges of stone pelting as well as some political prisoners on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. These besides Yasir included Tehreek-i-Hurriyat General Secretary Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Hurriyat (G), General Secretary, Ghulam Nabi Sumji.
 Sehrai was released from Baramulla jail on Friday but Sumji who is in Kotbalwal jail, according to the sources, is yet to be released.
 As Yasir reached his home town hundreds of his supporters thronged his residence and expressed happiness over his release. They also raised pro-Yasir and pro-freedom slogans.
 Earlier, Yasir visited the graveyard of his father, late Qazi Nisar Ahmad and offered Fateh Khawani there.
 On the occasion Yasir while vowing to continue the struggle demanded release of all political prisoners and youth. “People of Kashmir have offered tremendous sacrifices for a cause and the need of the hour is to safeguard these,” said Yasir.
 Yasir expressed solidarity with all the incarcerated leaders including Islamic Students League (ISL) Chief Shakeel Bakshi, Muslim League Chief, Mushtaq-ul-Islam and Hurritat (G) leaders General Moosa and Yasin Hatai as well as youth who have been detained for participating in protests.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST