Mehbooba Mufti, the former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir has condemned the barring of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA).
In a tweet, Mufti also said that the arrest of Mian Qayoom was a concerted effort to “silence any form of dissent”.
“The ban on JKHCBA elections based on unsubstantiated allegations of secessionist ideology is a brazen violation of democratic principles & the fundamental right to association. Preceded by the arrest of former HCBA President Mian Qayoom it is a concerted attempt to silence any & all forms of dissent. A pattern that we have seen repeated often since August 2019,” she tweeted.
In her post, Mehbooba Mufti further said that there has been a vicious crackdown on every element & organisation of J&K’s civil society to instil a sense of fear. Demand an immediate & thorough explanation as well as rationale for both the election ban & Mian Qayoom’s arrest to ensure justice is done.
Pertinently, Mian Abdul Qayoom, former member of Jamat e Islami and Chairman Bar Council has been arrested by Jammu Kashmir Police in connection with the murder of 38-year-old Advocate, Babar Jan Qadri who was shot dead by terrorists in September 2020.