Is PDP planning release of another prisoner?

Srinagar, March 9: Is the PDP now attempting to release another prisoner after Masarat Alam? Even as the RSS met with BJP chief Amit Shah and advised not to make any compromises, the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir is making an attempt to release Asiq Faktoo of the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen.

Faktoo according to the armed forces is a dangerous member of the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and has been serving a life sentence for the murder of a Human Rights Activist, Wanchoo H N. The armed forces and also the Intelligence Bureau consider Faktoo to be a dangerous customer and feel that his release may lead to a violent situation in the Valley as he cannot be brought on board to talk peace.

The longest serving prisoner:

Faktoo a commander of the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen has been in jail for the past 22 years. He is married to Syeda Andrabi a seperatist leader who heads the Dukhtaraan-e-Millat. Ever since Faktoo had launched an anti India tirade in the Valley, he has been red flagged as dangerous by both the army and also the Intelligence Bureau.

His arrest and sentence came as a major relief to the armed forces. Faktoo had led a fierce battalion against the Indian army and was finally arrested and sentenced to life for the murder of a human rights activist. He is today the longest serving prisoner in the Valley and the PDP appears to be making moves to have him released from jail.

Did political prisoners figure in the CMP?

The BJP which is an ally of the PDP in Kashmir has made it repeatedly clear that it does not support the release of these prisoners. The army has cautioned the union government about the release of these prisoners and said that it could have a negative impact.

People like Faktoo pose a major security risk. Although these persons may not be young and battle ready they can still stir up passions in the Valley which gives the army an additional headache is what the Union Government was told in clear terms.

The BJP on the other hand says that during the discussions leading up to the coalition spoke about prisoners lodged in Kashmir jails, at no point did they agree for the release. The BJP has said a firm no on the release of these prisoners. The only thing that had come up during the discussions was whether such pesons should be treated as political prisoners or not, a senior BJP leader from New Delhi informed