Srinagar, March 6 (IANS) Senior religious leader and chief cleric of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said on Friday that authorities have placed him under house arrest as restrictions continued across the Valley.

Mirwaiz Umar said on X, “Restrictions in the valley continue and have been heightened on a Friday in the holy month of Ramzan. I have also been placed under house arrest, and in these greatly blessed days, when thousands come to the mosques seeking blessings and guidance the pulpit of Jama Masjid is silent and all lanes and by lanes leading to the mosque barricaded. It is very sad and unfortunate.”

Denouncing the US-Israel action on Iran, he said, “But the sadness felt in Kashmir today is not only because of these restrictions. Muslims across the world are aggrieved and deeply anxious by Israeli and American aggression in the region. Israel and America want to reshape the region to suit their interests, and for that they are willing to go to any extent, as the brutal killing of the head of a country and a great spiritual leader, Ayatullah Khamenei and the attack on a sovereign nation Iran, plunging the entire region into a crisis and grief, shows.”

He said that across Jammu and Kashmir, from the Valley to Jammu, Ladakh and Kargil, people have expressed their condemnation of this aggression and expressed solidarity in one voice, beyond divisions as one ummah.

“The Ummah cannot be divided in moments like this. When injustice is inflicted upon one part, pain is felt by the entire body. As Mirwaiz, I stand in heartfelt solidarity with the people of Iran, with Palestinians and with those who are bearing the brunt of this aggression in the region and beyond. All human lives are precious, and wars and violence are man made catastrophes that cause loss of precious lives. May Allah protect all, grant patience to those who mourn, and bring swift justice to the oppressors and liberate the oppressed,” he further said in his X post.

Meanwhile, restrictions continued in Kashmir, and congregational Friday prayers were held in all districts, towns and villages.

No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in the Valley. Authorities have said that a decision on relaxation of restrictions would be taken later in the day, keeping the overall law and order situation in consideration.

–IANS

sq/dpb