Altaf Bukhari welcomes release of Naeem Akhtar Other political prisoners need to be released in view of pandemic’

SRINAGAR, May 10: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Monday welcomed the release of senior PDP leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar.

In a party statement issued here, Altaf Bukhari said that “It has been our consistent demand that the government should release all political prisoners languishing in jails within and outside J&K given an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in the country”.

He demanded that the Supreme Court directives for the release of prisoners to tide over the pandemic, may be implemented by the J&K high-powered committee.

Bukhari remarked that the government should also consider the release of other political prisoners by adopting the guidelines of the National Legal Services Authority on the issue.

“While the release of Naeem sahib is a welcome move, our demand for the release of other colleagues, who have been unjustly detained, remains persistent,” he asserted.

The COVID-19 second wave poses a grave threat to mankind and in this situation the prolonged detention of political leaders and activists is worrisome.

“Those young political activists and senior political leaders detained must be honorably returned home especially in view of the current covid-19 crisis,” Bukhari demanded.