Authorities stop Mirwaiz, Sajad Lone from offering prayers at fathers’ graves

Concertina wire and police vehicles sealed the residences of Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and MLA Sajad Lone on Thursday, preventing them from visiting the graves of their assassinated fathers on their death anniversaries — both leaders described the move as “house arrest” and shared visuals on X.

Authorities stopped Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Sajad Lone from stepping out of their homes to pay tributes to their fathers, slain separatist leaders Molvi Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone, triggering criticism.

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While Lone was assassinated on 21 May 2002, Molvi Farooq was killed 12 years earlier.
Mirwaiz’s office posted on X; “Ahead of Fatiha Khwani at Martyrs Graveyard Eid Gah, Srinagar, @MirwaizKashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest late last evening, while access to the Mazare Shuhada, Eidgah has also been restricted by the authorities since yesterday as well”.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq described the restrictions as “unfortunate and condemnable” and wrote on X; “21st of May is a painful reminder of one of the darkest day in the history of Kashmir when people lost their voice with the martyrdom of their beloved leader Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq”.

“The mayhem that followed with more than 70 mourners killed and hundreds injured is etched in the collective memory of people. Years later on the same day another sane voice was silenced when Shaheed-e -Hurriyat Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone was snatched from us”.

“It is unfortunate and condemnable that through intimidation, might, and media gags the state prevented people from expressing their sentiments and paying tributes to their beloved leaders and the Martyrs of Hawal. Today even individuals are disallowed from going to Mazar-e-Shuhada Eidgah to offer Fatiha prayers, while I have been under house arrest since yesterday evening. Repressive tactics will not change reality nor erase the contribution of these beloved leaders and their place in people’s heart”, Mirwaiz added.

Sajad Lone wrote on X; “I along with my colleagues at the @JKPCOfficial were to go to the Martyrs graveyard today to offer Fateh for my father Abdul Gani Lone, who was martyred 22 years back on the 21st of May by terrorists. But the police came early this morning and informed me that I have been placed under house arrest. We had a similar gathering at the Handwara office. This office has also been put out of bounds by the police”, he added.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti offered tributes to Abdul Gani Lone and Molvi Farooq and wrote on X; “Remembering with immense respect the Late Molvi Mohammed Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone saheb on their martyrdom anniversary. Their supreme sacrifice reminds us of their commitment and contribution to the cause of Jammu and Kashmir. As we pay our tribute to them we renew our pledge to restoration of our constitutional rights, lasting peace with dignity and creation of a welfare state free of fear and intimidation”.