Mirwaiz continues to be under house detention: APHC

SRINAGAR — Senior Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq will not lead the congregation Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid today as he continues to be under house detention, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) informed here.

In a statement issued here, APHC has expressed strong resentment and regret that after announcing the release of its chairman Mirwaiz-e -Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq from 20-month-long house detention since August 2019, Government authorities went back on their decision.

APHC said that late last night, police officials visited Mirwaiz’s residence to convey to him that he continues to be under house arrest, and will not be allowed to go to Jamia Masjid for Friday prayers and Majlis Waz-o-Tableeg today. “And since early morning, additional forces have been deployed outside his house and in the area, converting it into a garrison,” the statement said.

APHC strongly condemned ‘this authoritarian flip flop’ of the Government.

APHC said that recently in the Indian Parliament, the Government of India’s Minister of State for Home Affairs had categorically stated that no one in Jammu & Kashmir was under house arrest. “If that is so, why does Mirwaiz continue to be detained?” it asked.

APHC said that this imperious decision of the authorities has hurt the sentiments of people and further aggrieved them, as they were eagerly awaiting Mirwaiz’s release from arbitrary house arrest.

“APHC appeals to people that though hugely disappointing, they should not lose hope and show patience and at no cost, resort to any form of violent protest,” it appealed.

Pertinently, some news agencies and media houses had claimed that the government had set Mirwaiz Umar Farooq free from house detention.