Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is expected to issue directions on Wednesday in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference seeking his release from house detention.
The petition, filed through his counsel, seeks the release of Mirwaiz from what he has termed as "illegal and unauthorized detention" since August 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, and bifurcation into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Pertinently, the court had granted the J&K administration a "last and final opportunity" to respond to the petition on February 19, 2024. Mirwaiz, who was allowed to attend Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid for three weeks in September, faced a renewed denial of permission after the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine war in October, citing security concerns over potential pro-Palestine protests.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha contradicted Mirwaiz's statements, asserting that the cleric was "free to visit wherever he wants", while Mirwaiz, in his petition, dismissed these claims as "misinformation”. He also emphasized the adverse impact of house detention on his livelihood and family.
Expressing concern, a spokesman for the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid on March 1, 2024, called for the restoration of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's religious and civil rights and described the Jamia Masjid as a place of significant spiritual importance for Muslims.
The spokesman also expressed optimism on the judicial system to uphold justice and restore Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's religious and civil rights, in view of the court hearing scheduled for today.
