Srinagar, In a move that has stirred controversy and condemnation, senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been placed under house arrest by authorities in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. This action has prevented him from attending the mandatory Friday prayers and delivering his sermon at the Srinagar Jamia Masjid.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Anjuman Auqaf, in a statement issued in Srinagar, vehemently criticized the repeated house detentions of Mirwaiz. The organization highlighted that a large number of faithful were expected to gather at the mosque to listen to Mirwaiz’s sermon and join in the congregational prayers. However, the deployment of police outside his residence early in the morning thwarted these plans.

The statement further criticized the authorities for obstructing Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s religious and official duties without any stated reason, a move that has deeply affected the religious sentiments of the Muslim community in the region. The Anjuman Auqaf called for an immediate end to this undemocratic policy and for the release of Mirwaiz from his unjustified house arrest, allowing him to resume his religious and official responsibilities.

This incident has once again highlighted the tensions and restrictions faced by political and religious leaders in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.