Placed under house arrest again, Kashmir left voiceless as trust deficit widens: Mirwaiz

‘Let me make it clear, my beliefs and convictions have not changed, not even by a comma’

Srinagar: Senior Hurriyat leader and Mirwaiz of Kashmir, Umar Farooq, said he was placed under house arrest for the first Friday of the year, preventing him from addressing prayers at Srinagar’s Jama Masjid, and was instead forced to communicate through social media.

In a statement posted on X, Mirwaiz said the beginning of the new year comes with the “painful memories” of 2025, which he described as a period marked by tragedy and uncertainty. Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, he said the incident, though widely condemned in the Valley, led to anxiety among Kashmiris amid targeted actions and demolition of homes. He also cited the India–Pakistan military escalation last year as a reminder of the region’s fragile peace.

Despite unilateral constitutional changes in 2019, Mirwaiz said the Kashmir conflict continues to leave the region unsettled.

“Wars are paused, not ended, and dialogue finds no takers,” he said, adding that the trust deficit between Kashmiris and New Delhi has widened. He alleged that enforced silence is projected as consent, while issues remain unaddressed.

Mirwaiz also criticised the banning of the Awami Action Committee and Ittihadul Muslimeen, calling it the closure of remaining political and civic space. He said dissent is increasingly criminalised and labelled “anti-national,” while access to public platforms, including local media and Jama Masjid, remains curtailed.

“With Hurriyat constituents banned, all offices sealed and institutions closed, leaders and activists either in jails or under constant surveillance, social media remains the only platform that gives some voice and opportunity to connect with people and the outside world,” said a statement Mirwaiz shared on social media.

He added, “Let me make it clear, my beliefs and convictions have not changed — not even by a comma.”

“Some have criticised this move as a compromise. To them I say, how and for what? They make a strange argument — for being provided security. But it was provided to me since the day of my father’s martyrdom 35 years ago. If I did not compromise for it since then, why should I compromise now? My commitments to my people are non-negotiable — rooted in principles and beliefs that stem from my convictions both as a Muslim and a responsible leader to people; consolidated firmly over more than three decades, when as a young boy of 17, under tragic circumstances of my father’s martyrdom, I ascended the pulpit of Jama Masjid to carry forward the great legacy of our beloved Prophet (pbuh) and with it its responsibilities. For over three decades, by the grace of Allah, I have tried to the best of my ability to fulfil these responsibilities and to represent the aspirations and rights of my hapless people in conflict, to stand by them in good and bad — irrespective of religion, region or affiliation — to highlight the plight of our youth and leaders languishing in jails, and the right of Kashmiri Pandits to return to their homeland. I admit I may not always have succeeded in my efforts and manner, but my intentions have always been sincere,” the statement added.

Stating that he was under house arrest for fourteen Fridays last year, Mirwaiz said such restrictions have become routine and suffocating for society at large. He clarified that removing the Hurriyat title from his social media profile was a legal necessity to avoid complete silencing and not a change in belief.

“My convictions have not changed — not even by a comma,” he said, reiterating his commitment to peace, dialogue and reconciliation.

He said dialogue based on “insaniyat aur jamhooriyat,” as articulated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, remains the only path to lasting peace in Kashmir.