Mufti government clears release of 15 Pak militants

After freeing Hurriyat leader, Masarat Alam from prison the state government has cleared release of 15 Pakistani nationals including the border crossers and militants of different outfits lodged in various prisons in Srinagar.

Sources said the cases of militants and those Pakistani nationals who have inadvertently crossed over to this side have been cleared by the State’s Home Department recently. Officials said they are waiting for the dates to be finalised with Pakistan for deportation of the nationals to neighbouring country through the Wagah border.

According to officials among the Pakistani nationals lodged in different prisons are the militants who faced cases of recovery of arms and ammunition and killing of forces and civilians. Officials said the 15 Pakistani nationals who are to be deported back are among the 68 persons in whose favour the consular access has been received from the Pakistani Embassy.

The militants who are set to be released include five top militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militant organisations who are currently lodged at Central Jail, Srinagar.

Officials said their cases have been cleared by the Pakistani Embassy, following which the clearance was received from the State’s Home department recently. The militants were booked Under 302 RPC, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities Act and Foreigners Act, they said. Confirming the development Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Mohammad Sultan Lone said the necessary formalities for the deportation of Pakistani nationals have been initiated.

“The consular access of the militants who were facing different cases has been cleared by the concerned Pakistani Embassy and they are ready to be deported to Pakistan,” said a senior government official.

Officials said the militants would be handed over to the Pakistani authorities at the Wagah border adding that currently their presence in the state is being regulated under the Public Safety Act.

“In the orders that have been received from the Home department it has been specified that the militants would be sent back to Pakistan and their presence in the prisons in Srinagar is being regulated under the PSA till formalities for their deportation are cleared from Pakistani side,” said a senior official.

However another senior official said even as the militants have been booked under the Arms Act, and Foreigners Act for their “illegal presence in the state’’ the Pakistani side is “unlikely to confirm their involvement in militancy related incidents and would rather accept them as Pakistani citizens who have been illegally detained by the police authorities here.”