First time after Art 370 abrogation, NC president holds meet with four senior party colleagues

 

Sagar, Wani, Rather, Shafi reach Dr Farooq’s residence, MP says meeting underway, second round tomorrow, more leaders to come

Srinagar, Aug 20 : For the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 last year, the National Conference (NC) patron and incumbent parliamentarian, Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Thursday held a meeting with four of the party leaders who were also detained post the August 05, 2019 decision.

Sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that four party leaders including NC’s General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, provincial president Kashmir Nasir Aslam Wani, former minister Abdul Rahim Rather and senior leader Muhammad Shafi Uri have reached the residence of Dr. Farooq Abdullah at around 05:00 PM.

Talking to KNO, Dr. Abdullah, who is also the former chief minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State said that all the four party leaders have reached his residence and the meeting is underway.

He said that the meeting of five more party leaders will be called tomorrow, adding that the meetings with the party leaders will continue in the coming days.

Earlier on Wednesday, National Conference had said that party has taken cognizance of the stand taken by Government of J&K in High Court for detention of its senior party leaders and added party has called a meeting with such leaders on August 20 in order to expose the assertions of Government regarding their “illegal” confinement.

In a statement, NC had stated it has taken cognizance of the stand taken by the Government in High Court in the Habeas Corpus matters filed by the President and Vice President of the party for securing the liberty of various leaders of the party that have been under an illegal house detention. “On a perusal of the reply the party has noticed that the Government has unequivocally submitted before the High Court that the no leader is under detention and that they are free to move subject to necessary security arrangements,” the party stated—(KNO)