Dr Farooq calls meeting to chalk out strategy on ‘illegal detentions’

National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah has invited four senior party leaders to a meeting at his Gupkar residence on Thursday in order to “chalk out future course of action against illegal house detention of NC leaders”.

A National Conference spokesman in a statement issued here said that the meeting has been called after J&K government recently informed the High Court that “none of the NC political leaders in the Valley was under detention”.

   

“The National Conference has taken cognizance of the stand taken by the government in Hon’ble High Court in the Habeas Corpus matters filed by the President and Vice President of the party for securing the liberty of various leaders of the party that have been under an illegal house detention (sic),” the statement said.

The four leaders invited to the meeting include Ali Muhammad Sagar, Abdul Rahim Rather, Muhammad Shafi Uri and Nasir Aslam Wani.

Earlier on August 5, an all-party meeting called by the NC president to discuss the the prevailing political situation in Jammu and Kashmir had been disallowed by the authorities.

“On a perusal of the reply, the party has noticed that the government has unequivocally submitted before the High Court that no leader is under detention and that they are free to move subject to necessary security arrangements,” the spokesman said.

“Now relying fully on the stand of the government before the HC that the members are free to move and expecting no hogwash on part of the government (sic), Party President Dr Farooq Abdullah has invited senior party members for a meeting at his residence on August 20 at 5 pm,” the statement said.

The statement said that the party is “mindful of the present pandemic and accordingly the meeting with various leaders who have been under detention will be done in batches of 4 members per meeting”.

“Needless to add that all SOPs shall be strictly followed by all concerned. The party is hopeful that the liberty of the members under detention is now absolute and the meeting is held successfully on the appointed day,” it said.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration had last week informed the High Court that none of the 16 National Conference leaders whose “release” had been sought through a bunch of habeas corpus petitions, had been detained and that “they are free to move with certain precautions” as deemed fit for their security.

The Abdullahs had filed 16 petitions on July 13 for the release of these 16 NC leaders contending that they were being held in “brazen violation” of constitutional guarantees on right to liberty.

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