Srinagar, Feb 16 (KNS): Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday condemned those in power for repeatedly barring Muslims from offering obligatory Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid and other Masjids across the valley by imposing curfew and restrictions on Friday’s in downtown and other parts of the valley. He said after 3 Fridays prayers are being held at Jamia Masjid.
According to the statement issued here, Mirwaiz addressing a mammoth gathering before Friday prayers at Jama Masjid Srinagar said that the Muslim collaborators under the influence of their masters need to be reminded, that in Islam mosque is a place of collective worship and not just individual. It is a community centre for the Muslims where besides other things the community comes together at prayer times and otherwise ,to discuss and deliberate the issues facing it and the Jumma Khutba delivered reflects those issues and problems of the community and their redressal in the light of Quran, Sunnah and ethics.
Mirwaiz said for the last thirty years in particular, the gravest crisis being faced by the people of Kashmir is severe repression and suspension and abuse of all their rights including human religious and political as a consequence of occupation and the unresolved Kashmir dispute for past 70 years.
Mirwaiz said to forcibly prevent the Muslim community from gathering to offer obligatory prayers at mosques especially the central mosque on Fridays ,in order to stop them from expressing their opinion and outrage at the repression they are subject to and for their just demand of resolution of the dispute and instead blame leaders and scholars from raising and reflecting this pressing issue and its subsequent outcome i.e. the killings and suppression ,is the height of hypocrisy of these collaborators.
Mirwaiz said let those who mislead by such propaganda understand that the Kashmir problem will not disappear by barring prayers at mosques and blocking all avenues of public expression of protest and outrage against repression, including in the mosques.
Mirwaiz said unless the genuine demand of resolution of Kashmir conflict is addressed, voice will always be raised for its resolution from the pulpit of mosques including the Jamia Masjid.
Mirwaiz said it is extremely sad that daily precious human lives on all sides are lost at the altar of this dispute, and suffering endured something that can be easily altered if hard posturing and status quo is given up and reality pragmatism and justice given a chance so that a resolution is found to this dispute and an end put to this cycle of violence .
Mirwaiz said as is evident from the experience of past 70 years ,there is little scope for a military solution to the issue and after India and Pakistan turned nuclear to maintain the current status quo is all the more difficult especially in an environment of mutual mistrust and regular loc and border skirmishes .
The escalation can anytime lead to a war with devastating consequences. So it is in the best interest of all that India and Pakistan behave like mature and sensible nations and in interest of their country and its people resolve the Kashmir dispute
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz today visited SKIMS Soura to inquire the health status of ailing JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik. Mirwaiz extending his wishes and prayed for his speedy recovery. (KNS)