In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) has expressed concern over the media reports against prominent lawyers Mian Abdul Qayoom and Manzoor Ahmad Dar and described it as concocted and far from the truth.
The HCBA in an extraordinary meeting in Srinagar deplored that an attempt was being made to portrait the image of Mian Qayoom as an occupant of 159 kanals of temple land when the matter is subjudice before the High court of the territory.
It said Mian Abdul Qayoom is in lawful physical possession of one kanal and 1o marla as a protected tenant which land has devolved upon him as successor. More after the death of his father out 6 kanals devolved upon the father of Mian Qayoom, namely Mian Abdul Raheem .
It is made clear that 159 kanals of temple land is in possession of near about one hundred families as protected tenants for last 80 years which land was attempted by land brokers on a fake and fraudulent power of attorney against which matter is pending subjudice before the High court in a petition filed by the protected tenants.
Without commenting on the nature and merits of criminal investigation of Babar Qadri murder case, Bar Association feels the nature of house and office searches of senior .lawyers Mian Qayoom and Manzoor Ahmad Dar conducted by the Indian police were beyond the scope of the subject matter of the criminal investigation as none of these lawyers is either accused in the case for which challan is pending before the court of law at Srinagar.—KMS
