Farooq Abdullah forms alliance with Mehbooba Mufti in J&K for Article 370

Kashmir's main political parties announced a grand alliance on Thursday to seek a peaceful restoration of its autonomy after India's release of the last major Kashmiri political leader from lengthy detention. On Tuesday, the government ordered the release of Mehbooba Mufti after 14-month detention and she and other leaders promptly called for a campaign to restore Kashmir's special rights. “Our battle is a constitutional battle. We want the government of India to return to the people of the state (of Kashmir) the rights they held before 5th August 2019,” said former Kashmiri chief minister Farooq Abdullah.