Kashmir’s Chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. File.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday (November 6, 2026) said the authorities disallowed him from leading the congregation prayers at Jama Masjid, apparently in response to the sermon delivered on the previous Friday on the Kashmir issue.
“My house detention continues unabated for the past week, with police deployment and barricades in place. Unfortunately, I will not be able to deliver the Friday sermon at Jama Masjid Srinagar to the faithful today,” said the Mirwaiz in a post on X. He also shared videos of the barricading by security forces outside his residence in Srinagar’s Nigeen area.
Terming the move of the authorities as “arbitrary and authoritarian measures”, the Mirwaiz said, “It was aimed to curtail freedom of movement and speech, and also betray the official narrative of ‘normalcy’ in Kashmir”.
On the previous Friday, the Mirwaiz mentioned in his sermon the findings of the International Crisis Group report on Jammu and Kashmir and highlighted the concerns over political prisoners, civil liberties and the need for meaningful political engagement and reconciliation.
“Since then, the Mirwaiz has remained confined to his residence, preventing him from fulfilling his religious responsibilities, including addressing scheduled religious gatherings and leading the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid,” said a spokesman for the Mirwaiz, in a statement.
Published – November 07, 2026 04:14 am IST
