Srinagar: Mirwaiz leads silent tribute at Jamia Masjid for Pahalgam attack victims

Worshippers at the historic Jamia Masjid in observed a minute’s silence on Friday in memory of those killed in Pahalgam by militants on April 22, Tuesday.

 

The attack occurred at Baisaran, a meadow located four kilometres from Pahalgam, and left 26 people dead. Among them were 24 tourists, a local horse owner, Adil Shah, and a Nepali national. Seventeen others were injured.

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Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir(chief cleric) and Hurriyat Conference Chairman Umar Farooq, who is also the custodian of the mosque, described the killings as “an inhuman act” that had shaken the region.

“This incident has broken our hearts,” he said. “People were killed after being identified and interrogated in front of their families.”

 

“Who can understand this pain more than us?” he asked. “The people of Kashmir, regardless of their faith or background, are united in grief. We are all shedding tears of blood.”

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He offered prayers for the victims and their families, expressing hope for strength and patience for the bereaved, and a speedy recovery for the injured.

 

Mirwaiz also raised concerns over reports and videos showing that Kashmiri students were being harassed in various parts of India following the attack. 

 

He called the incidents “deeply troubling” and urged the authorities to act.

 

“The administration must ensure the safety and security of Kashmiris outside the region and take steps to curb such incidents,” he said.

 

Having returned to the Jamia Masjid after a long period of restrictions, Mirwaiz said, “I have been prevented from carrying out my religious responsibilities, but today I stand here to share in this collective mourning and to raise my voice against this tragic atrocity.” 

 

The Mirwaiz is a prominent voice in Kashmir and commands respect and influence among the people of all political ideologies.

 

His father, Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq, was assassinated by militants on May 21, 1990. The event compelled the Mirwaiz, then a teenager, to step into his father’s shoes and manage the affairs of the mosque and the Awami Action Committee, a socio-religious party, founded by the Mirwaiz family.

India