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Srinagar : Amid escalating controversy over the location of the proposed Jammu and Kashmir National Law University (NLU), Adv Waseem Gul, President of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) Srinagar, has strongly advocated for establishing the permanent campus and headquarters of National Law University in the Kashmir Valley. This demand is fully supported by the Kashmir Advocates Association.
The statement emphasizes the urgent need to address longstanding educational imbalances in the Kashmir Valley, which has faced decades of disruption from conflict, instability, and underinvestment in higher education. An NLU in the Valley—a premier national institution focused on legal studies, research, and professional training—would serve as a “transformative milestone,” providing world-class, accessible opportunities to local youth, minimizing migration for advanced legal studies, nurturing regional scholarship, and advancing socio-economic development and justice delivery.
JKHCBA Srinagar firmly asserts that locating the permanent headquarters in the Kashmir Valley is not regional favouritism, but a necessary corrective measure for historical inequities. The release notes that flagship institutions like the IIT and IIM were established in Jammu without equivalent demands for parity at the time, highlighting the Valley’s long wait for such premier developments.
To promote unity and prevent division, the Association proposes a balanced dual-campus model: the main headquarters in the Kashmir Valley, complemented by a fully functional satellite campus in Jammu. This approach would enable shared academic resources, collaborative programs, joint research, and seamless mobility for students, faculty, and stakeholders from both regions, ensuring an inclusive NLU that benefits the entire Union Territory.
JKHCBA Srinagar urges the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to honour earlier commitments—including the temporary setup in Budgam—and finalize the Valley as the permanent base with robust Jammu integration.
“Legal education remains a cornerstone of justice, democracy, and progress—let us build it together for a stronger, more united Jammu and Kashmir,” the press release of JKHCBA Srinagar concludes.
