Ishfaq Gulzar(CNI)

Prominent religious and political leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has welcomed the recent ruling by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court regarding the issuance of passports. He stated that the judgment raises hope for thousands of people who have long been denied travel documents based on their familial ties.

In a statement, the Mirwaiz expressed optimism that the court’s decision would offer relief to individuals, including children and relatives of militants, political prisoners, and jailed leadership, who have been deprived of their fundamental right to travel. He emphasized that the denial of passports has significantly hampered their access to educational and vocational opportunities.

“I hope this decision will be honoured by the rulers of the day,” he remarked, urging authorities to implement the court’s directive without bias or delay.
However, the Mirwaiz also condemned his continued house arrest, which has been imposed for the sixth consecutive year ahead of the religious observance of Shab-e-Baraat.

He criticized the restrictions, calling them unjust and a violation of his basic freedoms.
“This repeated confinement during significant religious occasions is deeply unfortunate and an infringement on my rights as a religious leader,” he asserted.

The Mirwaiz has been placed under house arrest on multiple occasions in recent years, particularly during important religious and political events. His detention continues to spark concerns over civil liberties and the space for dissent in Jammu and Kashmir.

As Shab-e-Baraat, a night of prayers and spiritual significance, approaches, the leader’s house arrest has drawn sharp reactions from various quarters, with calls for an end to such restrictions on religious figures.(CNI)