SRINAGAR: In a powerful break from decades of controversial legacy, the Srinagar wing of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) witnessed a historic transformation on Wednesday, as it shed its past ties to secessionist elements and emerged as a vocal force against terrorism.
Once considered a breeding ground for pro-Pakistan narratives, the Bar Association had long echoed the voices of separatists like Advocate Mian Qayoomโcurrently jailed in the Babar Qadri murder caseโand others such as Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and Masarat Alam Bhat. The association had even aligned itself with the Hurriyat Conference and embedded the call for Jammu and Kashmirโs separation from India in its constitution.
Its actions in the past included supporting ISI-backed calls for strikes, expressing solidarity with eliminated terrorists, and offering free legal aid to stone pelters, especially during the years of heightened violence between 2008 and 2019. These moves had long painted the Bar in the colors of confrontation and dissent against the sovereignty of India.
But that narrative was upended on April 23.
In a remarkable pivot, the Barโnow registered under JKHCBA Srinagar (Regd)โstood in resolute unity to condemn the grisly terror attack that unfolded a day earlier in Pahalgamโs Baisaran Valley, where 28 people, mainly tourists, were massacred. Leading the charge was Senior Additional Advocate General Mohsin Qadri, alongside Advocate Waseem Gul and hundreds of advocates from across Kashmir.
Marking their outrage and mourning, the Bar called for a complete suspension of court work in the Srinagar Bench of the J&K and Ladakh High Court and all subordinate courts. They also lent support to the Kashmir-wide shutdown announced by trade and business associations, signaling a shared anguish that had spread beyond the legal community.
Describing the incident as a โdark chapter in human history,โ Mohsin Qadri stressed the need for unity across communities to thwart such violence. โWe must rise above our past and ensure that such barbarity never returns to our soil,โ he stated. His colleague, Senior Additional Advocate General Abdul Rashid Malik, denounced the killing as โa savage crime against peace,โ insisting that such acts would not silence the collective conscience of Kashmiris.
A condolence gathering was held in the High Courtโs Bar Room, where members of the legal fraternity offered prayers and shared words of solidarity. Advocate Waseem Gul, now president of the JKHCBA Srinagar (Regd), addressed the gathering: โThis vicious and despicable act is an attack not only on lives, but on the very soul of our land, which has long stood for compassion and coexistence. We stand united against terror in all its forms.โ
Also speaking were senior lawyer M.I. Dar and retired Principal District Judge Mohammad Ashraf Malik. Malik emphasized, โThe attack underscores the dangers we faceโbut it also awakens in us the will to fight back with law, peace, and justice.โ
Following the gathering, lawyers carried out a peaceful march from the Bar Room to the High Courtโs main gate. The demonstration, conducted in dignified silence, underscored the fraternityโs unwavering call for justice and accountability.
JKHCBAโs Jammu chapter also suspended legal work and voiced solidarity with the victims. The move symbolized a united legal voice from both regions of the Union Territory, condemning terrorism and pushing for lasting peace.
The Bar that once offered legal shields to violence, terrorism and separatism now stands as a fortress for justice. A dramatic chapter has closed, and in its place, a new narrative beginsโone rooted not in separatism, but in solidarity.
