The authorities on Friday locked Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, disallowing the weekly congregational prayers. The move was part of the preventive measures to thwart protests called by separatist leaders.

The police locked the gates of the city’s largest mosque at Nowhatta. Security forces personnel were deployed in large numbers in the area to prevent protests.

Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who delivers a weekly sermon at Jamia Masjid, condemned the restrictions as he remained under detention at his residence in the city.

The restrictions were imposed in response to the call for protests made by three key separatist leaders under the banner of the joint resistance leadership. The protests were called as part of continued demonstrations against the recent killings of civilians and militants in south Kashmir and in Srinagar city.

Meanwhile, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) held a protest at Maisuma. The JKLF is headed by Yasin Malik who is part of the joint resistance leadership.

Members of the JKLF also held a funeral in absentia for the recently killed civilians in the region and later held a protest rally. The rally was led by JKLF leaders Bashir Ahmad Butt and Showkat Ahmad Bakshi. The JKLF members later held a sit-in near Budshah Chowk. A resolution of the joint resistance leadership was read out and passed at the sit-in.

Courtesy: Tribune:  May 12, 2018