New Delhi, May 3- The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Jammu and Kashmir government an additional six weeks to provide details on Pakistani nationals detained under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978. The extension was granted by a bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan after the authorities informed the court that relevant data had been lost during past floods in the region.
The matter stems from a petition filed by the late Bhim Singh—founder of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and a senior advocate—seeking the release and deportation of Pakistani nationals held under the Act.
The apex court has previously voiced concern over the prolonged incarceration of Pakistani citizens who have completed their prison sentences, especially in cases where Pakistan refuses to acknowledge them as its citizens. The court has urged the government to devise a proper mechanism to prevent such individuals from languishing in Indian jails without legal justification.
The case has now been scheduled for further hearing on July 25.
