Srinagar, 13 Oct 2023: In a recent development reported by Kashmir Media Service, the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, was sealed, and Juma prayers were disallowed by the Narendra Modi-led Indian government. Concurrently, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and a figure listed for the 10th consecutive year as one of the 500 most influential Muslim personalities by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan, for 2024, has been placed under house arrest again, following his recent release from over four years of detention. The decision to seal the mosque and restrict the movement of Mirwaiz comes amid concerns from occupation authorities that gatherings could transition into anti-Israel demonstrations.
According to the press release from KMS, the Indian troops were significantly deployed in Nowhatta and other areas of the city to prevent people from reaching the mosque, and police officials locked the mosque from outside. The blockade and subsequent prevention of Juma prayers at the Jamia Masjid have elicited strong reactions and condemnations from leaders and organizations, including the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Jammu and Kashmir National Front, and Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement, which all criticized the suppression of fundamental rights and freedoms of Kashmiris, including their right to practice religion. Calls have been made to the international community to acknowledge and respond to these actions in the occupied territory.
In a parallel demonstration of solidarity with the people of Palestine amidst their conflict with Israel, the Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman Sharie Shian, a constituent of APHC, organized a march in Badgam. The march witnessed the participation of hundreds who raised anti-Israel slogans, reflecting the socio-political undercurrents relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict within the region.
Moreover, the situation was compounded by a cordon and search operation conducted by Indian troops in the Ganapora area of Kupwara district, which involved stopping vehicular movement on the Handwara-Kupwara road, thereby causing considerable inconvenience to commuters.
In an unrelated development, Javaid Tenga, President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, issued a statement in Srinagar, demanding the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the factors contributing to the severe ongoing power crisis in the occupied region of Jammu and Kashmir. The intersection of socio-political unrest and infrastructural challenges continues to shape the landscape of the region, reflecting a multifaceted challenge to stability and peace.