AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Srinagar: The High Court of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has annulled the detention of Zahoor Ahmed Butt under the Public Safety Act (PSA), ordering his immediate release. Zahoor Ahmed Butt is the brother of the deceased Kashmiri leader Muhammad Maqbool Butt. The court’s decision marks a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding Butt’s detention.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Zahoor Ahmed Butt, a resident of Mirpora, Thregam in Kupwara district, had been detained since 2022 and was held in Karnal Jail, Haryana. The ruling came after Advocate Bashir Ahmad Tak, representing Butt, challenged the detention order, arguing it was arbitrary and lacked substantive justification.
Advocate Tak asserted that the charges in the detention order were baseless and disconnected from reality. He highlighted that the grounds for detention were unclear, compromising Butt’s right to a fair legal process. Tak argued that the failure to provide all relevant materials to his client rendered the legal representation ineffective.
Justice Sanjay Dhar, upon reviewing the arguments from both parties, declared the detention unlawful. The court noted that the detention did not satisfy the legal prerequisites of the PSA and identified procedural flaws.
The High Court’s directive mandates the immediate release of Zahoor Ahmed Butt.