The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president and Srinagar MP Dr Farooq Abdullah said on Friday, August 18, that the Central government was ‘totally lying’ about the condition of senior Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. He said Mirwaiz continued to remain under detention at his Srinagar residence.
Addressing the media, the former chief minister called out the Jammu & Kashmir administration for its ‘highhandedness’. He said Mirwaiz was still laughing within the four walls under a heavy security deployment, and he was not allowed to visit historic Jamia Masjid.
When one of the reporters told him that J&K lieutenant governor had claimed that “Mirwaiz himself had demanded security,” he replied: “The continuous detention of Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a matter of great concern. “If you (reporters) are not able to interview Mirwaiz, then is he free,” he asked.
Over three years ago, the BJP-led Union government unilaterally abrogated the partial autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir and imposed restrictions on movement of several local leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
While some mainstream political leaders, including J&K’s three former chief ministers – Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah — have been set free, separatist leader Mirwaiz continues to remain under ‘house arrest’.
Mirwaiz is currently confined to his Nigeen residence in Srinagar under the watch of heavy security deployment.
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