Doda lawmaker condemns use of PSA as political tool in IIOJK
Jammu: Kashmiri lawmaker from Doda and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Mehraj Malik, has strongly criticized the arbitrary and vindictive use of the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) against youth in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Malik’s comments come in the wake of the detention of Rehamatullah Paddar, a young social activist from Doda, who was booked under the PSA after voicing his opposition to the district administration’s decision to turn a locality into a dumping yard. This case follows the earlier imposition of the PSA on five trade union leaders from the neighboring district of Kishtwar, who had raised concerns about environmental degradation in the district.
Malik said that the IIOJK authorities were using the PSA as a tool for retaliation, rather than a legitimate measure to maintain public order. He emphasized that such arbitrary detentions not only violate basic human rights but also have devastating consequences for the careers and futures of young people in IIOJK. “Most PSA cases are dismissed in the first hearing, yet the damage done to a young person’s life and career is irreparable,” said Malik, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of this draconian law.
The AAP leader further called on the Chief Minister of IIOJK, Omar Abdullah, to take immediate steps to establish a judicial or legal committee at both the district and state levels. This committee would be tasked with thoroughly reviewing the dossiers of individuals facing PSA charges to ensure that the law is not misused for personal or political vendettas.
Malik also announced that the AAP’s IIOJK chapter is planning to form a legal committee of prominent lawyers to file defamation suits against the authorities responsible for the wrongful approval of PSA detentions. “This move aims to bring accountability and ensure that PSA impositions are fair and just,” he asserted.
The detention of Paddar has sparked widespread concern and outrage, with organizations calling for his immediate release. They have urged the occupation authorities to halt the arbitrary use of the PSA and end the practice of using the law as a weapon for silencing dissent in the territory.
Malik’s statement reflects the growing frustration among Kashmiris with the occupation authorities’ abuse of the PSA, which has increasingly become a tool of political repression in IIOJK.
