Mehbooba demands release of Asiya Andrabi

Srinagar, Feb 25 (PTI) Opposition Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti today demanded Prime MinisterManmohan Singh''s intervention for release of Asiya Andrabi,leader of radical women''s outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat, who wasarrested last year under the Public Safety Act.

"We are saying that all people, be it the old agedleaders like Ashraf Sehrai or advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom,young boys like 14-year-old Faizan or our sister Asiya(Andrabi) and other women, should be released," Mehbooba said.

Andrabi, a hardline woman Islamist leader, was arrestedalong with her associate Fahmeeda Sofi in August last year bya special team of Jammu and Kashmir Police from the outskirtsof the city.

She has since been detained under the Public Safety Act.

"The atmosphere has been created by this government onthe pretext of (violence in) June to arrest young boys...thePrime Minister should himself intervene and release the boyshere because the state government will not do anything,"Mehbooba said.