Srinagar, Feb 14, KDC: Hurriyat leader and Mirwaiz of Kashmir, Umar Farooq, on Friday condemned the ‘repeated restrictions’ on his movement and the closure of Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid, calling it an infringement on religious freedom and personal liberties.
“It is condemnable that, again and again, on Fridays, I am disallowed from going to Jama Masjid. Yesterday, on the auspicious occasion of Shab-e-Baraat, not only was I placed under house arrest, but even Jama Masjid was forcibly locked down, preventing people from gathering. Today, once again, I was not allowed to go to Jama Masjid,” Mirwaiz said in a statement to Kashmir Dot Com.
He said that as Mirwaiz—an office that carries religious, social, and political responsibilities—he has always advocated for a peaceful resolution to issues through dialogue, a stance he vowed to continue.
Expressing concern over the closure of Jama Masjid, Mirwaiz said that the mosque holds deep religious and emotional significance for the Muslim community of Kashmir, and its repeated shutdowns cause immense pain to worshippers.
“Shutting down Jama Masjid in the name of maintaining law and order is ridiculous, especially when tall claims of normalcy are being made,” he said.
Referring to the security measures around his residence, he questioned the justification for his house arrest, despite being provided with high security.
“A huge security cordon has been placed around me, and I am told there is a serious threat to my life. My movement is subject to the approval of authorities. I want to ask the rulers—now that they have provided me with so much security, why am I still not allowed to visit Jama Masjid? Do others with security threats also face house arrest? I do not understand these contradictions,” he said.
Mirwaiz once again urged the authorities to stop restricting his movement and not prevent him from fulfilling his religious obligations at Jama Masjid. He also called for an end to the frequent lockdowns of the grand mosque, which he described as the religious and spiritual center for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. (KDC)
