"My father is a free man again," announces Farooq Abdullah's daughter Safia; Omar echoes

Minutes after the news of Farooq Abdullah's release was out, the former J&K Chief Minister's daughter Safia Abdullah Khan expressed contentment over Twitter. Seven and a half months later, the government gave a nod to release detained Farooq Abdullah, however, the National Conference (NC) president will not be attending the ongoing Parliamentary proceedings. 

In a tweet, Farooq Abdullah's daughter said, "My father is a free man again." The tweet was then retweeted by NC vice president Omar Abdullah, whose twitter account is being handled by his sister, Sara Abdullah Pilot. 

Upon the revocation of his detention order, Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah came to the terrace of his residence at Srinagar's Gupkar Road residence and said, "Thank God this gate is open. We tried for many months for this gate to open. Today I don't have words to say how I feel today. I am free, I am free."

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In September last year, Abdullah was then booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).  Rohit Kansal, the principal secretary of Planning, Development and Monitoring Department of Jammu Kashmir, posted a letter on Twitter on Friday, stating the government order. The order said that the government has decided to revoke the PSA imposed on senior Abdullah with immediate effect.

Kashmir leaders in detention

Former chief ministers of Jammu & Kashmir--Farooq Abdullah, along with his son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and other mainstream Kashmiri leaders were placed under detention, citing 'preventive measure' on August 5, prior to the passage of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisational Bill, 2019. Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to stay in detention along with other leaders including Shah Faesal and Sajad Lone. 

While several minor politicians have been released in a phased manner by the administration, political leaders Ali Mohammed Sagar, Naeem Akhtar, Sartaj Madani, and Hilal Lone have been charged under the PSA along with Omar Abdullah and Mufti. Meanwhile, former PDP minister Altaf Bukhari-led 'new political front' comprising of senior political leaders, academics, legal luminaries, activists is set to meet PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to demand the restoration of statehood and domicile rights. Since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories, the state is under lockdown. Though markets and road transport have been improving, locals are still being targetted by terrorists. The Centre has stated that train services, hospitals, and other services have resumed normally.

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