Srinagar, Aug 21 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday quashed the detention of hardline separatist leader Masrat Alam under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Justice Hasnain Masoodi Friday announced in open court here that he has quashed the detention order issued by state government under the PSA against Masrat Alam and the detailed order would follow.

Alam, detained under the PSA on April 18 two days after Pakistani flags were displayed at a reception rally he led here for senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, had challenged his detention order in the high court through senior advocate Mian Qayoom.

He had been released in March from detention by the PDP-BJP government headed by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

A serious controversy had plagued the relations between the Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party over Alam's release as the decision to release Alam was widely believed to have been taken by Sayeed himself.

The controversy died down only after Alam's re-arrest on April 18.