Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) organised public protests after Friday prayers against the continuous detention of its chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah who is lodged in police station Rajbagh here and also the house arrest of Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Geelani.As per party spokesperson, the protests were led by district president Tanveer Ahmad and Sajad Ahmad. Holding banners, they demanded immediate release of Shah who was arrested on February 24 during a night raid.
Terming Shah's detention as based on political vengeance, Tanveer Ahmad in his address said, "Since Shabir Ahmad Shah was released in 2011, he has been in and out of jails and under frequent house detention. The state government has no justification for keeping him behind bars. This is nothing but an illegal detention."
Sajad Ahmad while addressing the people said the resistance leaders are incarcerated to prevent them from carrying out their political activities and to create a gulf between them and people. "And for all this, the administration is resorting to use of black laws, arbitrary arrests, and intimidations," he said.Condemning the continuous house imprisonment of Syed Ali Geelani, the speakers termed it "a blot on the face of state government" saying the ailing octogenarian leader is facing lot of difficulties related to medical condition. They also condemned the house arrests of Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, members of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and Freedom Party.Meanwhile, a DFP spokesperson has paid tributes to three mujahideen martyred in Lolab. (KNS)