SRINAGAR: The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU), an amalgam of Islamic religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir led by Hurriyat Conference chairman and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has strongly condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli strike in Iran.
The organisation has also called for a shutdown in Kashmir on Monday.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, died in the joint Israeli and United States attack, Iranian state media confirmed today.
In a statement issued here, the MMU expressed profound grief and condemnation over the assassination of Khamenei, describing it as a blatant “act of aggression” by the US and Israel that has shaken the conscience of the Muslim world.
“In this hour of immense grief, the people of Jammu & Kashmir stand in heartfelt solidarity with the leadership and people of Iran,” the MMU said.
The MMU spokesman said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, J&K’s Grand Mufti Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam and other religious scholars including Maulana Muhammad Rahmatullah Qasmi, Aga Syed Hasan Al-Mousavi Al-Safvi, Dr Adil Latif Al-Kandi, Aga Syed Muhammad Hadi and Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari denounced the aggression against Iran, as well as the massacre of innocent girl students in Minab.
They termed these developments as deeply disturbing and warned that such reckless acts of aggression threaten to further destabilise the region and endanger global peace.
The MMU has called for a shutdown in Kashmir on Monday and appealed to people to observe a voluntary strike tomorrow to register their protest in a peaceful manner.
“We urge the people to observe it with unity, dignity, and complete peacefulness,” Mirwaiz said.
The MMU also appealed to people to register their protests in their localities peacefully, ensuring that peace and order are not disturbed.
Meanwhile, massive anti-Israel protests broke out in many parts of Kashmir as Shia Muslims took to the roads to protest the killing of Khamenei.
Thousands of Shia Muslims staged a protest in front of the historic Ghanta Ghar in Srinagar against the killing of Khamenei.
The protestors, including men and women mourning his killing, carried pictures and posters of Khamenei and Iranian flags, besides red, black and yellow flags. They chanted pro-Islamic, anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
Similar protests were also held across Shia-dominated areas in Srinagar, Budgam and other parts of the Valley.
Police are maintaining a tight watch on the situation.
Meanwhile, former J&K Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti extended full support and solidarity with the shutdown call of the Mirwaiz-led MMU over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader.
“This is a day of mourning to remind the world that injustice anywhere wounds the entire Muslim Ummah and all who stand for truth. United in grief and united in resistance, we stand firm with the people of Iran,” Mehbooba posted on X.
National Conference president and three-time former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah also denounced the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader, describing it as a tragic and destabilising development with serious implications for peace and stability in the region.
He stated that such incidents deepen uncertainty and grief, and underscored the urgent need for wisdom, restraint and adherence to the principles of justice and international law.
Abdullah appealed for calm and urged the administration to handle the situation with sensitivity and discretion, ensuring that those who wish to mourn are able to do so respectfully, without fear or undue restrictions, while maintaining public order.