Srinagar, Jan 3: The Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday urged the authorities to lift restrictions and remove the hurdles preventing him from fulfilling his religious duties.

For the past four Fridays, Mirwaiz claimed that he was placed under house detention by the authorities, barring him from leading prayers at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar.

Addressing the Friday congregational prayers at historical Jamia mosque in Srinagar’s old city after a gap of four weeks, Mirwaiz spoke out about the challenges and uncertainties surrounding his ability to fulfill his role as the spiritual leader and Mirwaiz of Kashmir.

“As I stand before you on this sacred pulpit of Jama Masjid, it is a moment of sadness, as the uncertainty surrounding my presence here continues to weigh heavily upon me and upon all of us as a community,” he said in his address.

The Chief Cleric lamented the recurring restrictions that leave the community in doubt every Friday about whether he will be permitted to lead prayers. He emphasized that this uncertainty impacts not just him but the entire community, which looks to the Jamia Masjid for spiritual guidance on faith and on issues and challenges facing them.

Addressing the authorities directly, Mirwaiz underlined the significance of the Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, highlighting that they are not merely a ritual but an integral part of societal guidance.

“As the Mirwaiz, it is my duty to utilise this pulpit to call attention to issues that affect our society—be they of religious, political, social, or economic nature, and provide guidance in the light of Islamic teachings and values and on moral principles,” he said.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman also rejected any notions that his statements were meant to provoke or create discord.

“When I speak about the shortcomings in governance or highlight the grievances of the people, it is not to provoke or create problems but, just like I call upon people to improve as humans, I also see it as my duty to urge the authorities to reflect and improve and address the issues,” Mirwaiz said.

He called on the government to reconsider its approach, emphasizing that restrictions and silencing voices would not solve challenges.

“The government must understand that silencing voices or locking me up at home will not resolve the challenges we face. Instead, it is through dialogue and a willingness to accommodate diverse views that we can move forward as a society,” the Chief Cleric said.

He expressed hope that authorities would cease creating obstacles and allow him to carry out his responsibilities uninterrupted.

“I sincerely hope that from this day forward, this approach of creating hurdles and imposing restrictions will cease and I will be uninterruptedly allowed to fulfill my responsibilities,” Mirwaiz said.

UNI