Mirwaiz Umar freed after 4-year house arrest, allowed to attend Friday Prayer at Jamia Masjid

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was released from house arrest on Friday, marking the end of a four-year period of detention following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

This decision comes just days after Mirwaiz Umar Farooq moved the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking his release.

Officials from the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the management committee of the historic Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area, confirmed that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq will be allowed to participate in the Friday congregational prayers at the mosque. The move was communicated to him by senior police officials who visited his residence on Thursday.

The release of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who not only heads various religious organizations but also chairs the separatist Hurriyat Conference, has been a topic of concern and discussion since his house arrest on August 5, 2019.

This date coincided with the BJP-led Central government's decision to abrogate Article 370 and reorganize the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court took up the case on September 15 and granted a four-week window for the Jammu and Kashmir administration to respond to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's petition.

The release has been seen as a significant development, and it remains to be seen how it will impact the region's political landscape and the ongoing discussions surrounding Article 370 and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.