Mirwaiz Umar Farooq allowed to deliver Friday sermon amid tensions following Pahalgam attack
Srinagar: In a significant development, moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has been granted permission to deliver the Friday sermon at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid after being barred for four consecutive weeks. The decision comes in the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Valley following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed at least 26 lives, most of them tourists from other Indian states.
Mirwaiz’s office confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that authorities had verbally informed them about the permission to attend Friday prayers at the Nowhatta mosque. He had previously been restricted to his residence, with security agencies preventing his weekly religious engagement without formal written orders.
The recent attack in Pahalgam, where gunmen reportedly targeted non-Muslim civilians, has triggered widespread outrage across the country. In its aftermath, Kashmiri students and civilians in states like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have allegedly faced assaults and intimidation, further escalating the communal tension.
Reacting to the development, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the move as “deeply needed,” particularly in light of the grief and anxiety gripping Kashmir after the attack. “The people of Kashmir are seeking solace. Let us raise our hands together as one community to pray for the souls of the departed, for strength to their families, and for lasting peace,” Mufti posted on X.
Since the reading down of Article 370 in August 2019, Mirwaiz had largely remained under house arrest, with limited public appearances. Although he has been allowed to attend social and religious events with increasing frequency in recent months, the continued restriction on his mosque visits had drawn criticism from civil society and human rights groups.
Mirwaiz has consistently described the curbs on his movement as a violation of his constitutional and religious freedoms. His return to the pulpit today is being seen not only as a religious gesture but also as a symbolic moment amid a climate of fear and political uncertainty.
Mirwaiz, whose father was assassinated during the early years of the Kashmir insurgency, has played a pivotal role in dialogue initiatives, including participation in Track-II diplomacy efforts involving India, Pakistan, and other stakeholders during the first NDA government led by the BJP.
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LIVE | Election Results of five states 2026
New Delhi: The countdown has begun for the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in five states that have captured the attention of people across the country.
The counting of votes for the Assembly constituencies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry will begin simultaneously at 8 am, and the fate of candidates in a total of 824 constituencies will be decided shortly.
The counting of postal ballots will take place first, followed by the counting of EVM votes in several rounds.
► DMK candidate in Thiruchirapalli KN Nehru behind TVK's G Ramamoorthi by 292 votes
► The BJP has taken an early lead in West Bengal, while Mamata Banerjee faces tough competition
► TVK head Vijay leads in Perambur constituency
► M. K. Stalin is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Kolathur constituency.
► AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Edappadi constituency
► In Puducherry, BJP is leading in 3 seats.
► In Assam, BJP is leading in 56 seats, while Congress is leading in 12 seats.
► Suvendhu Adhikari leads in both Bhabanipur and Nandigram
► West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee faces setback in Bhabanipur constituency
► Bhupen Borah, who recently left Congress and joined the BJP, is leading in Assam’s Bihpuria constituency
► Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is leading in Jalukabari constituency
► BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading in West Bengal’s Nandigram constituencyFive-state elections: Postal vote counting begins
► TMC, BJP lead in one seat each in West Bengal
► In Tamil Nadu, DMK leads in 3 constituencies, while TVK leads in 1
► UDF leads in 5 seats in Kerala, BJP in 1, LDF in 1
► BJP leads in 2 seats, AIUDF in 1 in Assam
► AINRC leads in 1 constituency in Puducherry
► TMC leads in 5 seats in West Bengal; Mamata Banerjee’s party maintains initial lead
► Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin leads in Kolathur
► BJP takes early lead in Assam
► Congress-led UDF leads in Kerala
► Tamil Nadu, TVK chief Vijay leads in the Perambur constituency, lags in Tiruchirappalli South
► BJP leads in 10 seats in Assam
► LDF candidate V.P.P. Mustafa leads in the Thrikkaripur Assembly constituency
► Out of 294 seats in West Bengal, BJP is leading in 14 seats, TMC in 12 seats, Congress in 2 seats
► Out of 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, DMK is leading in 15 seats, AIADMK is leading in 5 seats, TVK is leading in 2 seats
► Out of 126 seats in Assam, BJP is leading in 31 seats, Congress in 4 seats, AIUDF in 2 seats.
► Out of 30 seats in Puducherry, NRC+ is leading in 3 seats, Congress in 2 seats, TVK in 1 seat.
► Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suffers a setback in theBerhampore constituency in West Bengal.
