Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expresses ‘concern’ over arrest of lawyers

Srinagar, July 19

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Hurriyat Conference chairman and Jamia Masjid chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today expressed concern over the arrests of senior functionaries and advocates of the High Court Bar Association in the past few days, slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on them and sending them immediately to outside jails in the “sweltering heat.”

Addressing the congregation at Jama Masjid here today, Mirwaiz said in this situation it was incumbent upon the judiciary, including the judges, to take notice of this matter and intervene to do the needful.

It was distressing for all that “senior and reputed advocates, who are an important part of the civil society, were being treated in this authoritarian manner,” said Mirwaiz, adding that: “Today, it is lawyers. Tomorrow, it can be traders, shopkeepers or ordinary people.”

While appealing to those in power to discontinue the policy of arbitrary arrests and show humanity and compassion” in dealing with the people of J&K and release the lawyers, Mirwaiz said all matters could be addressed through dialogue instead of force.