The authorities in Kashmir lifted curbs on the movement of senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq following a petition filed by his lawyers in Jammu & Kashmir High Court challenging his house-detention. Most of the separatist leaders in Kashmir including Syed Ali Geelani and Yasin Malik have been detained in their homes against the backdrop of law and order situation following the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Mirwaiz, Geelani and Malik were outside Kashmir when Guru was hanged but they returned in following weeks only to be detained by the authorities in their respective residences. They were taken into custody at the Srinagar International Airport.
last week, Mirwaiz’s lawyer and former High Court Bar Association President Nazir Ahmad Ronga filed a petition challenging Mirwaiz’s continued house detention that hampered his religious and political activities. Mirwaiz delivers weekly sermon at historic Jamia Masjid every Friday before the conduct of congregational prayers.
“The dictatorial authorities have finally released Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on March 27, after keeping him under house detention for a long period”, a Hurriyat spokesman said.
“His (Mirwaiz’s) continuous house detention drew sharp criticism from various shades of people including, religious heads, religious and political organisations, scholars, and legal luminaries. Finally succumbing to the pressure, the Government was forced to release Mirwaiz from his long period of house detention”, he said.