‘Disappointing,’ Says Mirwaiz Umar As Police House Arrest Him For Third Consecutive Friday

Mirwaiz also shared videos and images of the security details who had taken guard in front of his residence in the city, restricting his movement.

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday claimed that he was barred from offering congregational prayers at the Jama Masjid here as authorities put him under house arrest for the third consecutive week.

“Again prevented from going to #JamaMasjid for the third consecutive Friday. Despite the bone-chilling cold, thousands of faithful—the elderly, women, physically challenged, children, and people from all over the valley—gather, waiting expectantly with a lot of affection and devotion to listen to the word of God at the Grand Mosque,” Mirwaiz said in a post on X.

He termed the police action “disappointing” for the people. “What hurt and disappointment it brings to them all when those in power assert brute force and detain me, totally impervious and heartless to the grief they cause to them, to me, and the Muslims of the valley,” he adds.

Mirwaiz Umar also shared videos and images of the security details who had taken guard in front of his residence in the Nigeen area of the city, restricting his movement.

However, police had yet to respond to the allegations by the chief cleric.

In response to the police action, Anjuman Auqaf, the management body of Jama Masjid, condemned the continued house arrest of Mirwaiz, expressing outrage at the restrictions imposed on him. “Today marks the third consecutive Friday that Mirwaiz was prevented from offering prayers and delivering his sermon at the Jamia Masjid. This continued barring of the revered leader from performing his religious commitments is deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” it said in a statement.

Who Is Mirwaiz Umar?

Mirwaiz Umar, the 14th Mirwaiz of Kashmir, was born on March 23, 1973. He was appointed to this role after his father, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq, was assassinated by unidentified gunmen when he was only 17.

Apart from being a Kashmiri Islamic religious leader, he is also a prominent separatist leader in the valley. He headed the All Parties Hurriyat Conference from 1993 to 1998 and has been the chairman of his faction since 2004.

The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Jordan named him one of 'The 500 Most Influential Muslims' in October 2014. This year, he appeared on the list for the 11th year in a row.

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