Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq placed under house arrest, barred from congregational Friday prayers

The Hurriyat chief was scheduled to visit Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta locality to offer the congregational prayers. He delivers a speech at the historic mosque on Fridays.

Hurriyat Conference Chairman and Chief Cleric of Jammu and Kashmir Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Credit: PTI Photo

Srinagar: Just days after his Awami Action Committee (AAC) was banned, authorities prevented Kashmir’s head priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from leading congregational Friday prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid on Friday.

Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the governing body that runs Srinagar’s grand mosque while strongly condemning the house arrest of Mirwaiz, in a statement said, “He (Mirwaiz) was prevented from delivering the Friday sermon and offering congregational prayers at the Jama Masjid.”

It said preventing him from leaving his residence had caused disappointment among the large number of worshippers gathered at the mosque.

“This arbitrary and unjustified move by the authorities comes at a time when the holy month of Ramzan is going on. Jamia Masjid is the central place of worship where thousands gather for Friday prayers, seeking guidance, blessings, and connection with the Almighty,” the statement said.

The house detention follows the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Tuesday order banning the AAC, headed by Mirwaiz and Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM) led by Masroor Ansari for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities, supporting terrorism, and stoking secessionist sentiments in the Union Territory (UT).

The ban has sparked criticism from political and religious groups in Kashmir, who argue that the AAC has played a significant role in Kashmir’s social and religious affairs. The AAC, established by Mirwaiz’s father, the late Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq, has historically engaged in social and religious activities in Kashmir.

Mirwaiz also is the chairman of the separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference. He was among several political and religious figures placed under preventive detention following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and his security was withdrawn.

However, in February this year the MHA upgraded Mirwaiz’s security due to elevated threat perceptions, particularly from a Pakistan-based terror group after his visit to Delhi in January where he appeared before a joint parliamentary panel concerning the Waqf Amendment Bill.