Law paralyses in Kashmir as lawyers go on strike

Srinagar, Mar 7: Work in courts of Kashmir Valley was hit on Monday, Mar 7 due to a two-day strike called by a lawyers' body against detention of its president under Public Safety Act (PSA).

Members of Kashmir High Court Bar Association (KHCBA) abstained work in the courts, including the state High Court, demanding immediate release of their President Mian Abdul Qayoom.

The lawyers affiliated with KHCBA, who sat on a dharna last Saturday, had decided to go on the strike for two days against continued detention of Qayoom in a Kathua jail.

Although the courts were functional, the proceedings in the cases could not be conducted as the lawyers were on the strike.

The protesting lawyers alleged that Qayoom was being held in jail on fabricated charges and the government was not even honouring the orders of the courts.

The Bar president was arrested in Jul last year and booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) for his alleged involvement in fuelling the summer protests last year.

The High Court quashed his detention under PSA but the state government filed two separate cases against him and lodged him at a Kathua jail in Jammu region.

He was granted bail by the trial court earlier this week and was expected to be released Saturday. However, the relatives of the Bar president were informed that he has been slapped with a fresh case of PSA.

PTI