Mirwaiz Umar Farooq placed under house arrest, stopped from Friday prayers

Srinagar, Dec 26 (PTI) Kashmir's chief cleric and Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest, stopping him from offering congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here on Friday, his office said.

"Authorities have once again placed Mirwaiz Kashmir under house arrest today, preventing him from going to the historic Jama Masjid, Srinagar, to deliver the sermon and offer Friday prayers," Mirwaiz Manzil, the office of the religious-political leader, said in a post on X.

It said he was also scheduled to launch the annual Mirwaiz Foundation Calendar, "a programme meant to celebrate our shared spiritual and cultural heritage, yet even this was denied by force." "Curtailing peaceful religious or community activity is very sad and unjust," it added.

On Thursday, the Mirwaiz, a moderate separatist voice in the Kashmir Valley, removed his designation as "Chairman, All Parties Hurriyat Conference" from his verified X profile.

Calling it a "Hobson's choice," the Mirwaiz said he was compelled to make the change after authorities warned that his account would be taken down in view of the ban on the Hurriyat constituents under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. PTI SSB RUK RUK