Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 5: Even if Qasim Khan is the second Pakistani militant arrested alive after fierce encounter in Udhampur area of Jammu region today, after Ajmal Kasab in Mumbai, but more than 100 foreign ultras were arrested alive in Jammu and Kashmir, since the outbreak of militancy in the 90s.
However, two of them Maulana Masood Azhar and Ahmad Omar Sayeed and a Kashmiri militant were released in December 1999 in exchange of 176 hostages after an Indian Airlines plane was hijacked to Kandahar in Afghanistan.
There were 108 foreign militants- - 97 Pakistanis, nine Afghans and one each from Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh were arrested alive and later lodged in different jails in the country after their arrest in Jammu and Kashmir on militancy related charges till 1999.
However, the number of such foreign militants till July 31,2014 came down to now 51 who are lodged in different jails in the state and outside, according to official figures available here.
They are facing charges under Public Safety Act (PSA) for their militancy activities.
The State Legal Aid Committee of National Panthers Party (NPP), headed by Prof Bhim Singh has filed a number of petitions seeking court directions to deport the foreign militants who have completed their jail term in the Jammu and Kashmir.
The legal cell of NPP a local court in the state acquitted a Pakistani militant Syed Sajjad Bukhari arrested in 1995.
The court announced the acquitted order in May this year after the prosecution failed to prove charges. |
