Kashmir’s 5,000-year civilizational legacy cannot be selective, calls for respect for all faiths, rejection of bans on books and ideas, and revival of dialogue between Delhi-Islamabad and Delhi-Srinagar
Srinagar, July 6, 2026: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr. Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq, while interacting with the media after inaugurating an educational consultancy initiative at Lal Chowk, spoke on the Amarnath Yatra, the recent ban on books, and the need for India-Pakistan dialogue.
On the Amarnath Yatra, Mirwaiz said that it is a religious pilgrimage, and the people of Kashmir have always respected the religious sentiments of all communities. He said Kashmir has a long tradition of hospitality and mehmaan-nawazi, and pilgrims who come here for their faith should be treated with respect and care.
At the same time, Mirwaiz said it is the responsibility of the administration to ensure the safety and proper facilities for the yatris, while also making sure that the daily life of local people is not unnecessarily disrupted and that the fragile environment of Kashmir is protected.
He said such religious occasions should not be politicised, and should remain about faith, peace, mutual respect and harmony among communities. He expressed hope that the Yatra passes peacefully and safely.
Responding to a question on the government’s ban on books, Mirwaiz said that in a democratic society bans do not work, whether they are bans on books, ideas or organisations. He said Kashmir has a 5000 year old rich and layered history .
Mirwaiz said Kashmiris are proud of their civilisational legacy, from the Buddhist period to Shaivism and Hindu traditions, and then the Islamic period, which shaped Kashmir’s spiritual, social and cultural identity. He said that after 1947, Jammu and Kashmir also became a political issue, and this too is part of its modern history.
“You cannot erase history or selectively project only that part of history which suits a particular narrative,” Mirwaiz said, adding that societies grow through openness, discussion and engagement, not by suppressing books or silencing perspectives. And facts remain facts .
On India-Pakistan relations, Mirwaiz said that since the age of 16, after the martyrdom of his father Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq, he has invested his life in the pursuit of peace, dialogue and resolution of Kashmir issue and that is the politics he pursues.
He said that he supported dialogue even at a time when those advocating talks were accused of treason. “We did not back down. My uncle shaheed Molvi Mushtaq was killed, Islamia school was burnt down , my house was attacked, but I did not give up on my principle even then that dialogue is the only way forward,” he said.
Mirwaiz said that as a new world order is shaping up, it is clear that war is no solution. He welcomed the efforts of civil society voices from India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir who are pushing for peace and engagement between the two countries.
He said the legacy of dialogue during the tenures of former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh needs to be revived and taken forward. He stressed that meaningful dialogue is imperative between Delhi and Islamabad, and equally between Delhi and Srinagar, for peace, dignity and a just resolution.
