J&K Governor's adviser: 'Detained Kashmir leaders will be released'

In a major relief to Kashmir leaders currently under house arrest, Advisor to Jammu-Kashmir Governor Farooq Khan, on Thursday, has stated that detained leaders will be released from detention, after almost two months since the abrogation of article 370. He said that they will be released after individual analysis of each of them. He did not state the date of their release. Major Kashmir politicians including former J&K Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, and Farooq Abdullah have been detained in Srinagar since August 5.

READ | J&K admin ends house arrest of leaders in Jammu ahead of civic polls

Jammu leaders released from detention

Earlier on Tuesday, ahead of Block Development Council elections, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to end the house arrest of all the political leaders in Jammu, sources said. After the abrogation of Article 370,  all leaders of Congress, PDP, National Conference, and Panther's Party had been asked not to hold any political activity. On Tuesday, J&K administration informed them that their house detention has ended and they are free to carry out any political activity, the sources added. Polls for Block Development Councils (BDC) in the 310 blocks of Jammu and Kashmir will be on October 24.

READ | Amit Shah: Removal of Article 370 biggest diplomatic win for PM Modi

Current situation of Kashmir

Meanwhile, the Centre has stated that the situation in Kashmir is slowly being restored back to normalcy. On last Sunday, the weekly flea market in Srinagar had attracted a large number of vendors, who set up their stalls, inspite of various main markets and other business establishments still shut, according to PTI. While traffic has been seen increasing in the Valley, public transport is still not functional, as informed by authorities. While landline connections have been restored completely, internet and cell connections too have been restored to most parts of the Valley, according to Kashmir administration, while economic activity too has picked up, as stated by authorities. Schools have also opened in the Valley and attendance has been gradually rising. The state administration has been giving regular reports about medical facilities functional in the Valley.

READ | Amit Shah to address seminar on NRC in first post-polls Kolkata visit

Parliament revoked Article 370 and 35 A

The government had revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019, which strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into a Union Territory with the legislature and carving out Ladakh region as a UT without legislature. It was passed in a division pressed by the opposition with 125 votes in favor and 61 against, and an NCP member abstained in the Rajya Sabha. It was then passed by a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on the next day, making it law.

READ | Amit Shah on Article 370: PM fulfilled Syama Prasad Mukherjee's dream