SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq on Friday called for the restoration of civil liberties, release of political prisoners and renewed political engagement, saying a decline in violence in Jammu and Kashmir must be accompanied by justice, reconciliation and efforts to rebuild public trust.
Addressing the Friday congregation at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, Mirwaiz referred to a recently released report by the International Crisis Group (ICG), saying its findings on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir warranted serious consideration.
He said the reduction in militancy, street protests and violence over recent years was welcome, but cautioned that it did not necessarily indicate that underlying political grievances had been addressed or public confidence restored.
Mirwaiz said security was essential but could not, by itself, resolve an issue with deep political and humanitarian dimensions. He also expressed concern over the scale of arrests and detentions since 2019.
Citing figures attributed to the Union Home Ministry, he said 3,662 people had been arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in Jammu and Kashmir between 2019 and 2023, while only 23 convictions had been recorded during the same period.
He said the figures raised questions about prolonged detention, due process and the use of stringent laws, adding that thousands of families continued to face uncertainty over the fate of their relatives.
Expressing concern over the continued incarceration of Kashmiri political prisoners, Mirwaiz named Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Shahid Ul Islam, Engineer Rashid, Asiya Andrabi and Masrat Alam among those who had spent years in detention, in some cases far from their homes and families.
He renewed his appeal for their release, a review of their cases and humanitarian consideration for elderly and ailing prisoners.
Mirwaiz also flagged restrictions on political and civic activities, limitations on peaceful expression and independent reporting, and what he described as growing alienation among people.
He argued that an improvement in the security situation should provide an opportunity for authorities to ease restrictions, review detentions and restore civil liberties so that people could express their concerns peacefully.
“Peace cannot simply be measured by the absence of protests,” he said.
Referring to the ICG report’s recommendations, Mirwaiz called for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, meaningful powers for the elected government, a review of stringent anti-terror laws and the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan.
He reiterated that the Kashmir issue could not be addressed through a security-centred approach alone, stressing that political grievances required political engagement and reconciliation.
Mirwaiz said the concerns and aspirations of the people should receive equal consideration alongside the security responsibilities of governments in any meaningful peace process.
Referring to the events of last year, he said the consequences of confrontation between India and Pakistan had once again underlined the importance of dialogue over confrontation.
He maintained that any improvement in security conditions should be followed by concrete steps towards reconciliation, restoration of civil liberties, reconsideration of political detentions and meaningful political engagement.
“The real measure of peace is not merely how much violence has declined, but how much trust has been restored,” he said.
