High Court Upholds PSA Detention for Two Youth in IIOJK

The High Court in IIOJK has upheld the detention of two young men under the Public Safety Act. Justice Sanjay Dhar refused to set aside the detention orders for Owais Muneer Bhat and Mohammad Shafi Naikoo. Authorities branded them as Over Ground Workers. This vague term allows the state to hold people without clear evidence. Owais Muneer Bhat was held by the District Magistrate of Srinagar on October 5 2024. Mohammad Shafi Naikoo was held by the District Magistrate of Kupwara on July 14 2025. The court freed Zahid Ahmad Mir but kept the other two in custody. This contrast highlights the unfair nature of the legal process in IIOJK.

A Lawless Tool of Suppression

The Public Safety Act became law in 1978. It started as a way to target timber thieves but became a weapon against political dissent. The state can keep a person in jail for two years without a trial. Officials do not need to prove a crime. They only need to claim that a person is a threat to state security. Human rights groups call this a lawless law because it avoids the basic justice system. It takes away the right to a lawyer or a fair trial. This power rests with the executive branch and leaves no room for defense.

The Deep Cost for Youth

Young people suffer the most under this law. Thousands of men in IIOJK have spent years in jail. Detention destroys their education and career paths. Families struggle with the cost of lawyers and travel to distant prisons. The psychological pain is immense. Families live in fear because they do not know when their loved ones will return. The label of Over Ground Worker creates social shame and isolation. This trauma leaves deep emotional scars on the entire community.

The Revolving Door Trap

The state uses a revolving door tactic to keep people behind bars. If a court cancels an order the police simply issue a new one. This traps people for years. It makes the court system seem powerless. Young men lose hope in the rule of law because the system appears rigged. This cycle of arrests fuels anger and creates deep resentment. It proves that administrative power holds more weight than legal justice in IIOJK.

Failure of Judicial Oversight

The court system has deep problems in these cases. Detention decisions rely on the choice of local officials. These officials want to show force rather than justice. Judges often focus on technical rules instead of real facts. This allows the government to target anyone they choose. The lack of fairness scares the public. One person gets freedom while another stays locked up for the same reasons. This lack of logic shows the weakness of current legal protections in IIOJK.

The Path Toward Fair Justice

The law needs a complete change. Preventive detention should not replace a fair trial. The state must show real evidence before taking away the liberty of a citizen. Every person deserves a chance to defend themselves in a courtroom. The definition of threats to security must be very clear. This will stop the abuse of power by local officials. True security requires a fair system that respects human rights. IIOJK needs laws that protect life. A stable future rests on the end of such arbitrary rules and the start of true justice.