Demands Release of Other Prisoners Also
The People’s Democratic Party president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday welcomed the release of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq after 20 months of ‘arbitrary detention’. She termed it as the good news for the political, social and religious well being of the people.
At the same Mehbooba Mufti also demanded that all Kashmiris lodged in jails in and outside the Jammu and Kashmir should also be released and be allowed to return to their homes.
Meanwhile Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “Good to hear about Mirwaiz’s release from arbitrary detention. I hope that hundreds of Kashmiri men languishing in jails in & outside J&K will also be released soon. Its time they returned home to their families.”
It is pertinent to mention that the 20-month long preventive detention of Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also head priest of the Valley, has come to an end.
Top officials in Srinagar on Wednesday had confirmed it to The Hindu newspaper that Mirwaiz is not under any detention. A Hurriyat spokesman, however, said the decision of the release has not been officially conveyed to the Mirwaiz so far.
However privy to told that the Mirwaiz may be allowed to deliver Friday sermons at historic Jamia Masjid this week. It would be for the first time since August 4, 2019 that the Mirwaiz may resume his religious duties.
They added that the release of the Head priest and Head of All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mirwaiz is a seen as a confidence building measure between India and Pakistan as ceasefire agreement has already been signed between by DGMO level talks.
The government move also comes ahead of the auspicious Islamic occasion of Mehraj-e-Alam, which falls on March 11. One of the close aides of said, “May be cross LoC can resume and infiltration rate may slow down as nothing can be expected more” he clarified.
