The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has given the last and final opportunity to administration of the union territory to file a reply to a habeas corpus petition filed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq challenging his “detention”.
The Hurriyat chairman had approached the High court in September last year to challenge his “arbitrary and illegal” detention after August 5, 2019.
Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal in an order on February 19 observed that the court had granted time till February 2 for J&K’s senior additional Advocate General, Mohsin Qadri, to file the reply to Mirwaiz’s petition, which till date has not been filed.
The court said the matter is taken up “out of turn” at the request of counsel for the petitioner.
The government lawyer pleaded before the court seeking one week’s time for filing the reply.
“Reluctantly and in the interest of justice, one week’s time as prayed for is granted for doing the needful, which however, shall be the last and final opportunity,” Justice Wasim Nargal said in the order.
The Court listed the matter on March 6.
The court made it clear that if reply is not filed, then the matter will be heard on the next date of hearing.
The separatist leader Mirwaiz, who is also the chief priest, was put under “house detention” since August 4, 2019 — a day before the union government scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and downgraded the state into two union territories. However, Mirwaiz was allowed to deliver his first sermon in more than four years on September 22 last year.
Mirwaiz said that after his release in September 2023 after four plus years of arbitrary house detention, he was only allowed to attend three consecutive Friday congregations in Jamia masjid following the release.
“Since then I have been prevented from going to Jamia masjid on Fridays or addressing the faithful in any other mosque on religious congregations as the Mirwaiz,” he told the UNI.
He said that whenever the Anjuman- the management committee of historic Jamia mosque in Srinagar approached the authorities they have dilly dallied on the response , saying they will check with their higher ups and get back ,which they never do.
“Recently despite the important religious occasion of shab e Miraj I was again not allowed to go to Jamia masjid . As the holy and important month of Ramzan is approaching when there are multiple religious events and congregations planned for me as the Mirwaiz this approach of the authorities is concerning,” he said.
