Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's security restored after rise in threat levels

Srinagar: The security cover of Hurriyat Conference chief and Kashmir’s head priest, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, which was withdrawn in 2019, has been restored after a perceived rise in threat levels following his recent visit to Delhi.

In January, Mirwaiz travelled to Delhi to attend a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting, chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, regarding amendments to the Waqf Act. During the session, he presented a six-point memorandum, raising “serious concerns of Muslims” over the proposed changes.

He also used his visit to engage with representatives of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community, aiming to build bridges between the two communities that have been deeply divided over the years.

The decision to restore his security cover comes amidst growing concerns over the safety of the Mirwaiz, especially after his public engagements and political discourse, which have often attracted controversy.

Sources said that intelligence reports indicated an increased threat perception linked to his visit and public statements. “The Mirwaiz has been provided with Y+ category security, with the possibility of it being upgraded to Z category in the near future,” they said.

The government provides varying levels of security, from X, Y, Y+ to Z category, based on the perceived threat to high-risk individuals such as politicians and government officials. Since the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, Mirwaiz has faced significant restrictions and surveillance by security forces. He has been a prominent voice advocating for dialogue and peace in the region.

Previously, he engaged with the Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government in 2004 and the Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government from 2005-2007 on the Kashmir issue, facing criticism from hardline separatists, including Syed Ali Geelani, for his outreach to New Delhi.

The Mirwaiz was among 18 separatist leaders whose security cover was withdrawn or downgraded by the government in February 2019 after Pulwama suicide attack on a paramilitary force convoy in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

His father Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq, a prominent religious leader, was killed by militants at his residence in Nigeen, Srinagar, on May 21, 1990. The killing occurred as Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit accused Mirwaiz senior of being a “peacemaker and an agent” of New Delhi.