Srinagar
Fearing anti-US protests, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday did not allow the congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Downtown Srinagar.
The government has imposed restrictions in the area which falls under the jurisdiction of Police Station Nowhatta to stop people from assembling there. The restrictions have also been imposed in MR Gunj and Safa Kadal police station areas.
Local sources said that all gates of the Jamia Masjid were locked by government forces while all roads leading to the historic Masjid were blocked with concertina wires.
Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who addresses the Friday congregation at the Masjid was placed under house detention yesterday evening.
The Mirwaiz slammed the government for what he said ‘shameful operating procedure’ to impose restrictions and disallowing Muslims from offering Friday prayers.
Once again the authoritarian regime has resorted to its SOP #ShamefulOperatingProcedure of imposing restrictions and disallowing Muslims by force from offerings Friday prayers at #JamaMasjd and peacefully expressing their resentment against the US decision on #AQudsAlSharief pic.twitter.com/RFuF6iXOAn
— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) December 8, 2017
The Joint Resistance Leadership Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik has called for peaceful protests after Friday prayers against the US move to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.