Hurriyat Chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Placed Under House Arrest, Prevented from Leading Friday Prayers

Srinagar, Mar 14: Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest on Friday, preventing him from offering the congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, officials confirmed.

Mirwaiz, who holds the position of Kashmir’s chief cleric, was confined to his residence in the Nigeen area of the city. He was scheduled to visit Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta to offer Friday prayers and deliver his customary sermon at the historic mosque.

The development follows the recent decision by the Central government to impose a five-year ban on the Mirwaiz-led Awami Action Committee (AAC) and the Jammu Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), headed by Shia leader Masroor Abbas Ansari. The government cited alleged anti-national activities, support for terrorism, and promotion of secessionist ideologies as reasons for the ban.

In response to the house arrest, the Auqaf strongly condemned the move, calling it “arbitrary and unjustified,” especially during the holy month of Ramzan. “This act deeply hurts the religious sentiments of the people,” it stated, emphasizing that preventing the Mirwaiz from carrying out his religious duties was an infringement on religious freedom.

The Auqaf urged authorities to lift the restrictions immediately, allowing Mirwaiz to resume his religious responsibilities without hindrance.