SRINAGAR — Mirwaiz Kashmir Muhammad Umar Farooq has strongly condemned the actions of the Government for placing him under house arrest and preventing him from attending a pre-scheduled condolence gathering for the late Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Ahmad Shah Sahib, son of the Muhaajir-e-Millat Mirwaiz Moulana Muhammad Yusuf Shah (RA) and brother in law of shaheed e Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq (RA).
This gathering was to take place at the family’s ancestral house Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal, followed by a prayer in absentia (nimaz e jinaza) at the Central Jamia Masjid Srinagar for the deceased, statement issued to KNS reads.
Mirwaiz in a statement expressed great disappointment that he was barred from participating in the condolence assembly for the prominent figure and family patriarch whose passing away was widely condoled and people from all over the valley wanted to come to express their condolences.
However, the administration not only closed the historic Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal but also locked down central Jamia Masjid not allowing the absentia funeral prayer.
Infact, officials of the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid had been communicated that if a prayer in absentia took place, an FIR would be lodged by the authorities, the statement said.
Mirwaiz said the J&K administration’s behaviour is not only tantamount to the deprivation of his personal freedom but has also deeply hurt the sentiments of the thousands of people who wished to express condolence and solidarity with him during this time of grief.
He also questioned the reality of the Lieutenant Governor’s frequent claims of creating a “Naya Kashmir”, saying such claims are hollow when a basic human right to condole collectively is suppressed and religious rites for deceased banned, statement reads.
Meanwhile, yesterday, after the funeral prayer, Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Ahmad Shah Sahib was laid to rest amid tears in Bahria Town, Islamabad. — (KNS)