Srinagar: The first major meeting of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the abrogation of Article 370 was cancelled on Thursday by the party after most of its leaders were detained at their residences.
Party spokesman Suhail Bukhari told Kashmir Reader that the meeting could not be held as the administration did not allow the senior party leaders to participate.
“It was the first major meeting since last year. The leaders were supposed to discuss important issues which include detention of leaders, people, and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti,” he said.
In a video shared on social media, PDP leader and former education minister Naeem Akhtar was seen stopped by police at his residence when he was leaving for the meeting. The cops were heard saying that they “don’t have the permission” to let Akhtar move out.
PDP leaders including Mehbooba Mufti remain detained since the government abrogated Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories last August. Mufti remains the only high profile leader still booked under the PSA.
“Shameful that JK admin along with police physically prevented PDP leaders from leaving their homes in Srinagar today. They shamelessly lie to courts that these people are free to move and the have the audacity to detain them illegally at home,” read a post on Mehbooba Mufti’s social media account.
Bukhari said no date has been fixed for the next meeting yet.
Earlier, the police had detained several PDP leaders when they took out a protest from party headquarters in Srinagar. The leaders were seeking Mufti’s release and accountability for alleged human rights violations.
Another party leader told Kashmir Reader that the party had written to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, IGP Security, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, and SSP Srinagar about the meeting.
“There was no response,” the leader, who was also supposed to attend the meeting, told Kashmir Reader.
It is only the PDP, the former alliance partner of BJP in JK, that has been prevented from holding a meeting, while the National Conference, including its Political Affairs Committee (PAC), has been allowed to meet.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz