Hope India and Pakistan resolve all issues without going to war: Mirwaiz

SRINAGAR — Kashmir’s chief cleric and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said the situation between India and Pakistan was worsening and hoped the countries would resolve all issues without going to war.

He was addressing the Friday congregation at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid.

“We pray that the situation between India and Pakistan, that is getting worse by the day, is resolved without going to war,” Mirwaiz said.

He said the events unfolding after the horrendous Pahalgam incident have again shown that whenever such things happen, it is the people of Kashmir who bear the brunt and suffer.

“Despite people’s unanimous condemnation of it (Pahalgam attack), it is the people of Kashmir who are being held to account and targeted. Massive crackdowns are taking place,” he said.

“Thousands of people have been detained and scores of houses have been demolished by explosions, rendering families homeless and desolate. The vilification of Kashmiris by large sections of the media has forced students and professionals outside to return in fear. How is all this helping in punishing the perpetrators if that is the aim?” he asked.

Referring to the deportations since the Pahalgam attack, Mirwaiz said it was another humanitarian issue which is leading to the division of families with mothers being separated from little children and husbands from wives.

“One such incident led to the tragic death of an 80-year-old and paralysed Abdul Waheed Bhat on a bus while being deported. In Kashmir, it’s sorrow after sorrow and grief after grief that visits us,” Mirwaiz said.

He appealed to the Government of India to revisit this policy.

“It is inimical to actual peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir if that is what the Government of India wants for J&K. I also appeal to them that on humanitarian grounds, the family members of such not be deported and their families made to suffer,” he added.

He also talked about the public announcement by police warning people against associating with Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen (JKIM). The Centre banned the ACC, headed by Mirwaiz and the JKIM, early last month for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), citing threats to national security and sovereignty.

“After the unjust and politically motivated banning of AAC, now announcements are made on police loudspeakers, threatening people with dire consequences for associating with it. People know that this organisation has always stood for peace and reconciliation and understand that these are fear-building tactics. It would be better to win over people than to intimidate them into submission,” he said.