ISLAMABAD: The High Court Bar Association has reiterated its pledge to defend the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, through thick and thin.
According to Kashmir Media Service, after taking the oath to their respective posts, newly elected office bearers of Kashmir High Court Bar Association in Srinagar in a statement said, “Our priority is to defend the special status of J&K. We will defend Article 35A and Article 370. Further, we will provide free legal aid to the victims of human right violations.”
The executive members were administered oath to office by Election Body Chairman AR King in presence of other election body members Muhammad Rafiq Joo, Mudasir Gulzar and Arshad Andrabi, Tariq Jan and Syed Musaib. Large number of lawyers also witnessed the oath-taking ceremony held at Saddar Court Complex Moominabad in Srinagar.
Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom took oath as president, advocate Aijaz Ahmad Bedar as vice president, Muhammad Ashraf Butt as general secretary, Adil Aasmi, joint secretary and Bilal Ahmad Wani as treasurer. The polls were held on October 4, this year.
The statement said that the newly elected body also took a pledge to restore the visits to different jails to know the plight of jail inmates. “HCBA visits jails twice a year. We will restore this process and will apprise High Court of the plight of jail inmates. We will also forward our jail visit reports to international forums, if necessary,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Islami Tanzeem Azadi Chairman Abdul Samad Inqilabi in a statement issued in Srinagar greeted Mian Abdul Qayoom on his election as HCBA president.