Mufti’s healing touch: Yasin Malik returns home from jail

Sources in the state government told The Indian Express that in a day or two, another Hurriyat executive Shiekh Abdul Aziz would also be set free. Aziz, who heads the People’s League, was booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) about a year ago. But the sources were not sure about Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani being released, saying the ‘‘government is yet to decide on him’’.

The release of separatist leaders is in accordance with the CMP of the coalition government. In the past 10 days, three top militant commanders who have been in detention for more than a decade have been bailed out. And the police didn’t re-arrest them on fresh charges, in a departure which reflects a major policy shift.

Former JKLF commander Nazir Ahmad Sheikh alias Gulla Denter and top Hizbul Mujahideen militant Mohammad Ayub Dar were set free on bail by a Srinagar Court three days back. Both Sheikh and Dar secured bail after being lodged in different jails for 12 years. JKLF commander Showkat Ahmad Bakshi, an accused in the kidnapping of Mufti’s daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed, was also released after 13 years.

‘‘Yes, it’s a policy shift. We would re-arrest the militants whom we wanted to confine (in the past) but the new government wants to let them off. That speaks about a new policy,’’ admitted a senior home Department official. The government’s policy became clear when Bakshi, re-arrested the day after his release, was not locked up. Although he was taken to Parimpore police station soon after he reached his home in Batamaloo, sources said the officer who had summoned him was pulled up by the government.

Tahir Ahmad Mir, a spokesman of the JKLF, attributed the release of the detenues to the international pressure mounted on the ‘‘Indian authorities to set them free’’. Mir said the release of detenues was taken up with the European delegation which visited Kashmir recently and they had assured they would put pressure on the central government. Malik’s release today was not without some drama. His family members, who were waiting for him at his Maisuma residence, had to wait till the evening. After being flown into Srinagar from Jammu in the afternoon, Malik was whisked away by police intelligence to the joint interrogation centre (JIC) here, leaving his supporters who were waiting at the airport disappointed.

At Maisuma, hundreds of JKLF supporters had assembled to welcome him and there were slogans of Jeeva jeeva Malik jeeva, hum kya chahte aazadi. A senior government officer said Malik was deliberately intercepted to prevent any procession being taken out. Speaking to reporters later, Malik said his release was ‘‘unconditional’’. Refusing to divulge any details, he said he will address a press conference tomorrow. Advocate Zaffar Shah, who fought Malik’s case, said the government must have released him today after withdrawing the PSA. ‘‘I had secured bail for him in the POTA case three months back and then the government booked him under PSA. They must have withdrawn it today,’’ he said, explaning the legal procedure involved in his release.