Farooq Abdullah released, Public Safety Act revoked

Srinagar : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was released on Friday after he spent over seven months in detention, with the government revoking the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) under which he had been held at his residence here.

Immediately after his release, Abdullah demanded that his son and former CM Omar and PDP's Mehbooba Mufti and other political leaders lodged in various prisons in the union territory and outside of it should be released at the earliest to allow political activities to take place.

The 82-year-old veteran politician had initially been taken into preventive detention on August 5, the day the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Subsequently, the PSA was slapped on him on September 15 which was extended on December 13. The December extension of PSA was due to end at midnight Friday and could have been extended for a maximum of six more months.

However, it emerged that his PSA was extended on March 11 for another three months but was suddenly revoked Friday afternoon.

The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, Abdullah, who was flanked by his family members including his wife Molie Abdullah, expressed gratitude to all the people including the leaders of the country who raised the issue of his detention in Parliament.

"I would also like to express gratitude to every individual who prayed for us ... I will not speak on any political matter till others are released," he said, not accepting any questions from the scribes.