New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah as released from detention today, with the administration revoking his detention orders under the Public Safety Act.

Abdullah, who turned 50 on March 10, had spent 232 days – nearly eight months – in custody since the government revoked the special status of the erstwhile state on August 5 last year. The National Conference leader was initially detained under preventive custody and later slapped with the PSA on February 5.

Taking to Twitter after his release, Abdullah said it's a "very different world" now than it was before his detention.

Speaking to reporters as he left Hari Niwas, where he was detained, he said all those detained must be released. "Be it Mehbooba Mufti ji, or any leader from National Conference, they should be freed," he said, adding that 3G and 4G services should be restored in Kashmir.

Abdullah also brought up the coronavirus pandemic and asked everyone to listen to the government. "Today, I, realise that we are fighting a war of life and death. All our people who have been detained should be released at this time. We must follow government orders to fight coronavirus."

His sister, Sara Abdullah Pilot, had filed a petition against his detention in the Supreme Court. During the hearings, Pilot had pointed out that the Jammu and Kashmir administration had no real basis to detain Abdullah. While the government said Abdullah's social media posts were problematic, Pilot pointed out that the posts mentioned either by someone else or non-existent.

Omar's father Farooq Abdullah, who had also been detained under the PSA, was released on March 13. After his release, he has asked the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure the release of all Kashmiri political leaders and workers who were detained in the aftermath of August 5.

Also read: ‘Omar Abdullah Will Be Next Chief Minister of J&K, Whenever Elections Are Held’

Former chief minister and People's Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti is still detained under the PSA.

Welcoming Omar Abdullah's release, Mehboob's daughter Iltija Javed tweeted that the government seemed to be most afraid of women (since her mother has not yet been released).

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