Mirwaiz again placed under house arrest, claims mosque management

Srinagar, June 7

Hurriyat Conference chairman and Jamia Masjid chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was on Friday placed under house arrest and barred from offering congregational prayers at the mosque here, its managing body said.

In a statement, Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar, the managing body of the grand mosque located in Nowhatta area of the city, strongly condemned the administration for placing the Mirwaiz under house arrest at his residence in Nigeen.

In a statement, it said, “Once again, the administration placed Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq under house arrest at his residence, Mirwaiz Manzil Nigeen, thus preventing him from fulfilling his religious and official duties.”

The mosque managing body said the administration informed Mirwaiz on Friday morning that he was under house arrest and would not be allowed to go to Jamia Masjid.

Last Friday, Mirwaiz spoke to the congregation at Jamia Masjid after spending four weeks under house arrest. He had urged the government to explain why he was repeatedly arrested and then released. He had hoped the government’s “strict policy” would ease and focus will shift towards “the importance of peaceful dialogue to solve issues.” Mirwaiz had stressed the need for a more humane and realistic approach from the government stating that he and the Hurriyat Conference had always advocated for resolving issues through dialogue.

Despite being released from house arrest last September, Mirwaiz was soon confined again and prevented from praying at Jamia Masjid. This pattern continued, with Mirwaiz being placed under house arrest again in April.

Since the revocation of Article 370, authorities have consistently denied permission for the Anjuman to organise Eid prayers at Jamia Masjid, including last Eid when Mirwaiz was unable to lead prayers there.