Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was allowed to lead prayers at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar on Friday, two days after the Lieutenant Governor’s (L-G) administration told the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that “he was a free man”.
“The Mirwaiz was allowed by the authorities to offer Friday prayers at Jama Masjid. It’s only for the fourth time after his release from house detention in September 2023 and for the first time since October 6, 2023,” a spokesman of the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, said.
Hundreds of worshippers thronged the mosque to listen to the sermon of the Mirwaiz, who is the Kashmir Valley’s chief cleric. “Repeated restrictions on me are very sad and painful. It also causes great grief to people as the pulpit falls silent,” the Mirwaiz said.
Last year, the Mirwaiz approached the court and accused the L-G administration of placing him under house arrest at his Srinagar’s residence since 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional position was revoked. However, in its reply on March 6, the administration told the court that the Mirwaiz was not under house arrest and was free to go wherever he wanted.
“The case for my full release from house arrest is in the court. I am fighting to ensure that the Honourable court delivers justice and all the restrictions on my movement are removed, especially the religious right to perform as the Mirwaiz,” the chief cleric said.
He reiterated that the pulpit of Jama Masjid “always advocated peace and resolution of the conflict”.
The cleric stressed that the institution of the Mirwaiz always propagated the message of universal brotherhood and harmony, especially among the majority and minority communities. He also wished the Kashmiri Pandit community on the festival of ‘Herath’.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court is hearing the Mirwaiz’s petition on “illegal detention” and is likely to announce its directions once the case comes up for a hearing.
