J&K Police Attach Former Bar Association Chief Mian Abdul Qayoom’s Property Under UAPA
By: Javid Amin | 12 November 2025
The police action, approved under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, links Qayoom to terror-related activities and the 2020 murder of advocate Babar Qadri.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have attached the residential property of senior lawyer and former Kashmir Bar Association president, Mian Abdul Qayoom, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), citing his alleged involvement in terror-linked activities and the murder of advocate Babar Qadri.
Property Attachment Details
According to officials, a two-storey house belonging to Qayoom, located at Bul Bul Bagh Barzulla, Srinagar, has been formally attached by the police.
The attached property includes land measuring 2 Kanals, 1 Marla, and 90 square feet.
The action was carried out under Sections 38 and 39 of the UAPA, with prior approval under Section 25 of the Act granted by the competent authority.
The attachment order was issued by Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat, who cited credible evidence linking Qayoom to the promotion of terrorist activities and to entities proscribed under the UAPA.
“The property was identified as being used for activities prejudicial to national security. The process was completed under due legal provisions,” a senior police officer said.
Legal and Case Background
Mian Abdul Qayoom, 80, a prominent advocate and influential figure in Kashmir’s legal circles, is currently lodged in jail in connection with the 2020 murder of advocate Babar Qadri, who was shot dead at his residence in Srinagar by unidentified gunmen.
The latest attachment order also references an earlier case—FIR No. 157/2009—registered at Shaheed Gunj Police Station, involving:
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Ranbir Penal Code Sections: 120, 120-B, 121, and 153-A
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UAPA Sections: 13, 38, and 39
The 2009 FIR reportedly pertains to a seminar organized by Qayoom to commemorate Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah—an event authorities allege was used to promote separatist ideology and incite disaffection against India.
Allegations and Police Claims
Investigating agencies allege that Qayoom’s residence in Barzulla was used to conceal incriminatory materials, facilitate meetings with separatist elements, and channel communications for groups advocating secession.
Officials claim the property served as a hub for ideological indoctrination and financial coordination under the guise of professional and legal gatherings.
The police also cited his historic influence within the Kashmir Bar Association, which has often faced scrutiny for passing political resolutions and issuing statements perceived as anti-national.
Broader Crackdown on White-Collar Terror
This move forms part of a wider crackdown by the J&K administration on white-collar terror networks — individuals and professionals allegedly involved in subversive or radical activities under legal, educational, or NGO cover.
Recent months have seen multiple property seizures, bank account freezes, and UAPA-related prosecutions targeting those accused of providing ideological, logistical, or financial support to terror organizations.
Security experts describe this as a strategic evolution in counterterrorism — shifting focus from field operatives to intellectual and financial enablers of militancy.
“This phase of enforcement targets those who normalize separatism under the veil of respectability — from courtrooms to classrooms,” said a senior counterterror analyst based in New Delhi.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
Under Section 25 of the UAPA, once a property is attached for alleged involvement in terrorist activity, it cannot be transferred, sold, or leased without government approval.
The owner is entitled to contest the attachment before a designated UAPA Tribunal within 30 days of the order.
Sources in Srinagar indicated that Qayoom’s legal counsel is likely to challenge the attachment, arguing that the allegations are politically motivated and unsupported by conclusive evidence.
However, police maintain that the case is backed by documentary and digital records linking the property and Qayoom’s communications to separatist activities.
Context: Babar Qadri Murder Case
Advocate Babar Qadri, a young and outspoken lawyer, was gunned down at his Srinagar home in September 2020, days after posting a social media message alleging threats from “Bar Association colleagues.”
Investigations since then have uncovered multiple leads connecting separatist factions and organized terror handlers, eventually leading to Qayoom’s arrest.
His detention and subsequent property attachment are seen as part of a larger strategy to hold accountable those in professional sectors who are believed to have enabled radical networks.
Conclusion: Law Tightens on Ideological Terror Support
The attachment of Mian Abdul Qayoom’s property marks a new legal frontier in Jammu and Kashmir’s counterterror campaign — one that seeks to cut off symbolic, ideological, and financial pillars of separatism in the Valley.
While the move has drawn attention within legal circles, the J&K Police emphasize that no one is above the law, especially when the line between advocacy and abetment blurs.
