KNZ NEWS DESK
Srinagar: The J&K High Court Tuesday quashed fifth PSA detention order against Assadullah Parray, a Muslim League associate who has been behind bars since 21 August, 2015.
Though the court had already quashed four PSAs brought previously against him in succession, he was not released and was slapped with a fresh detention order on May 27.
The detention order was passed by District Magistrate Bandipora under section 8 (a) of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.
An earlier PSA against him was quashed on April 3 this year, but he was not released and was instead shifted to Kot Balwal Jail, Jammu under another PSA.
Parray’s counsel Nasir Qadri said the PSA has become a nuisance.
“Every other day, court quashes detentions, but the detainees are not released but are shown another door of the jail. This is unfortunate as well as a challenge for the judiciary to handle,” Qadri said.
Though the PSA has been quashed by the court, Parray’s family is still skeptic about his release.
“I am hoping against hope that my son will be released soon but every time I start thinking that he will get released, it remains just a wish,” Parray’s 89-year-old ailing mother said.
“I have not seen him for the last three years and I am unable to meet him in jail because of my age,” she said.
Parray’s six children are surviving on hard means.
“Our fight is not over, we are struggling, but I know the system will release my father one day,” Parray’s daughter, Maria, said.
Maria, the eldest sibling among six children, has been taking care of the family in her father’s absence.
She said, “It is tough, but we are fighting to fight the odds. I am hopeful that my father will be released this time; we have already suffered a lot.”
Maria is a 12th class student and covers her family expenses through tailoring and tutoring students.
“I want to be a lawyer so that I can fight these kinds of cases. What we have suffered as children, I don’t want others to suffer the same way,” she said.
The family’s miseries never ended ever since the children lost their mother in 2012 and father has remained in jail much of the time since.
One of Parray’s daughters is suffering from a skin disease that requires her to visit hospital for treatment. Another daughter is suffering from trauma and is also on medication.
“It is hard to manage and sometimes there are no medicines available for my ailing sisters. But we try to manage,” Maria said.
“The only thing I want is my father back. He has not done anything wrong, why is the government hell-bent on shattering families in Kashmir?” questioned Maria.
Meanwhile the court also quashed PSA of other detainees Mushtaq Ahmed Hurrah, Sajad Ahmed Beigh and Aijaz Ahmed Shah
