Mirwaiz set free after 20 months of house detention

Authorities on Thursday released Chief Cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from the house detention and has conveyed him permission to address Friday congregational gathering after 82 Fridays at historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar.

He has been released almost 20 months from the house detention.The office of Hurriyat Chairman informed that authorities conveyed about the release of Mirwaiz from house detention.

Sources said police vehicle will continue to remain deployed outside the main entrance gate of Mirwaiz’s Nigeen residence even after lifting restrictions on his movement.

Mirwaiz was placed under house detention on August 4, 2019 a day before the Government of India announced the scrapping of article 370 and divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs)—Ladakh and J&K.

Mirwaiz is also scheduled to attend the Ulema Council Meet at Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal, Srinagar to discuss the growing drug abuse issue in Kashmir besides other social issues, sources added.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet had welcomed his release yesterday, “Good to hear about Mirwaiz’s release from arbitrary detention. I hope that hundreds of Kashmiri men languishing in jails in and outside J&K will also be released soon. It’s time they returned home to their families.”