Mirwaiz Umar Farooq set free after 20-month-long detention

SRINAGAR — After almost 20 months, Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been released from the house detention and is free to carry out his religious duties, sources said on Thursday.

The sources said that Mirwaiz has been released from house detention after a gap of almost 20 months. Pertinently, we reported on March 2 that Mirwaiz would be released anytime this week.

Sources said that Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz is free from house detention and he can move out and go anywhere he wishes to. However, sources close to Mirwaiz said that mobile police vehicles continue to remain deployed outside the main entrance gate of Mirwaiz’s Nigeen residence.

Mirwaiz was placed under house detention on August 4, 2019 a day before the Government of India announced scrapping of Article 370 and sliced the erstwhile State into two Union Territories (UTs)—Ladakh and J&K.

Mirwaiz’s release assumes significance given the fact that India and Pakistan recently agreed to honour the ceasefire pact as guns have fallen silent on the LoC across J&K with border residents welcoming the move.

Political analysts have already opined that India and Pakistan may further move ahead and take some concrete confidence building measures (CBMs) in the months to come. “There is every likelihood that the fresh CBMs may include release of more political leaders who are serving detention but not those facing serious offences/charges,” a source said.

Sources said that Mirwaiz will address Friday congregational gathering at historic Jamia Masjid tomorrow after 82 weeks.

Interestingly, Mirwaiz is scheduled to attend the Ulema Council Meet at Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal, Srinagar to discuss the growing drug abuse issue in Kashmir besides other social issues.

Yesterday, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet had stated, “Good to hear about Mirwaiz’s release from arbitrary detention. I hope that hundreds of Kashmiri men languishing in jails in and outside J&K will also be released soon. It’s time they return home to their families.”