J-K: 10-member PDP delegation to meet Mufti tomorrow

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): A 10-member delegation of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will meet party chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday in Srinagar.

Speaking to ANI, PDP leader Firdous Tak said: “In the morning, we had requested the Governor to allow us to meet our party chief. Our request has been accepted. We will discuss the current situation and every other issue related to Jammu and Kashmir with Mufti. It has been two months since she and various other party leaders were put under detention.”

After the Central government decided to revoke the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, two months ago, the region was placed under a communications blockade and several mainstream political leaders, including National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were put under house arrest.

Last month, the Supreme Court had allowed Mufti’s daughter Iltija to travel from Chennai to Srinagar to meet her mother in private amid curfew in several areas of J&K.

In her plea, Iltija had said that she is concerned about her mother’s health as she had not met her for a month after the abrogation of Article 370.

As political parties came down heavily on Governor Satya Pal Malik and the Centre for putting these leaders under house arrest, the Raj Bhavan said that such decisions are taken by the local police administration and the Governor had no role to play in it.

On Saturday, the Governor permitted an NC delegation to meet under-detention Farooq and Omar Abdullah.

Earlier today, a 15 member delegation of the party met Farooq at his residence in Srinagar.

“We are happy that they both are well and in high spirits. They are pained and anguished about the developments, particularly the lockdown of the people,” NC leader Devender Rana said.

The delegation sought the release of both leaders to kick-start the political process in the region ahead of the Block Development Council (BDC) elections.