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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IAF to hold 2-day wargame along frontier with Pakistan: NOTAM issued
New Delhi, May 6 (PTI): The Indian Air Force will carry out a two-day mega military exercise along the border with Pakistan from Wednesday that will involve all the frontline fighter jets including Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguar aircraft, sources in the defence establishment said on Tuesday.
The exercise is taking place amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
India's civil aviation authorities have already issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for the major air exercise that will largely take place along the southern and western section of the Indo-Pakistan border.
India's frontline fighter jets including the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Tejas and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft are set to feature in the exercise, the sources said.
In the course of the exercise, the IAF will simulate enemy targets on ground and in the air with deadly precision, they said.
The militaries of both India and Pakistan are on a high alert following rising tensions between the two nations.
Soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, India, citing "cross-border linkages" to the strike, promised severe punishment to those involved in it.
In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on April 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the terror attack.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh met Prime Minister Modi on Sunday and the Chief of Air Staff briefed him about the IAF's operational readiness.
On Saturday, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi apprised the prime minister on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.
