Srinagar, Nov 17: Anjuman Auqaf has termed the administration’s decision to disallow Friday prayers at the valley’s largest place of worship – the historic Central Jama Masjid Srinagar – for the sixth consecutive Friday and placing Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq under continued house detention as incomprehensible and greatly disturbing.
Auqaf in a statement issued to the news agency, said the grand mosque is being repeatedly targeted under the pretext of the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel. It also criticised the authorities for detaining Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir.
The Anjuman said that while prayers have been banned in Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israelis state since it launched a war against Palestinian people, locking down Jama Masjid in Kashmir belies the claims of normalcy by the administration here.
“The continuous ban on Friday prayers at Jama Masjid, and undue restrictions on the activities of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims of Kashmir and negate the claims of normalcy. So the authorities should revise their decision and allow prayers at the grand mosque and let Umar Farooq Sahib carry out his religious duties as the Mirwaiz of Kashmir,” the Auqaf said.(KNO)