SRINAGAR: Hurriyat Conference leader and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday welcomed the decline in violence in Jammu and Kashmir and underlined that justice and compassion cannot be separated from the pursuit of peace and called for the release of political prisoners and meaningful political engagement.
Delivering the Friday sermon at historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, Mirwaiz, while referring to a recently released International Crisis Group (ICG) report on Jammu and Kashmir that notes a decline in militancy, street protests and violence in recent years said everyone welcomes it as no one understands the value of peace more than the people of Kashmir, who have suffered enormously over the past several decades.
The Hurriyat Conference leader said the report also makes a fundamental point: a reduction in violence does not necessarily mean that underlying political grievances have been resolved, or that public confidence has been restored.
“Security is necessary, and the government has a responsibility to protect lives. But security measures alone cannot provide a lasting answer to a problem that also has deep political and human dimensions,” he said.
The cleric said one of the most disturbing aspects highlighted in the report is the scale of arrests and detentions since 2019. “According to the Union Home Ministry’s own figures, 3,662 people were arrested under UAPA in Jammu and Kashmir between 2019 and 2023, while only 23 convictions were recorded during that period. These figures raise serious questions about prolonged detention, due process and the widespread use of stringent laws.”
He said thousands of families suffer the consequences of arrests, detentions and prolonged legal proceedings, and they continue to live with uncertainty about the future of their loved ones.
“The continued incarceration of Kashmiri political prisoners including Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Shahid Ul Islam, Engineer Rashid, Asiya Andrabi, Masrat Alam, and many others, who have spent years behind bars, often in prisons far away from their homes and families, remains a matter of concern,” Mirwaiz said.
The cleric said they have repeatedly appealed for their release, review of their cases and humanitarian consideration towards elderly and ailing prisoners.
“I reiterate that appeal today,” he said, adding, “Justice and compassion cannot be separated from the pursuit of peace.”
On the ICG report raising concerns about restrictions on political and civic activities and shrinking space for peaceful expression, Mirwaiz said, “If the situation has improved, as is being acknowledged, should it not also be an opportunity to ease restrictions, review detentions, restore civil liberties and create an environment in which people can express their views and grievances peacefully?”
Peace, he said, cannot simply be measured by the absence of protests.
Calling for meaningful political engagement, he said, “Our consistent position has been that the Kashmir issue cannot be addressed through a security approach alone. Political issues require political engagement, and longstanding grievances require sincere efforts at reconciliation.”
“While governments have their own security concerns and responsibilities, the concerns and aspirations of the people are equally important and must find a place in any meaningful process towards peace,” he added.
Referring to last year’s skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani militaries after Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian military following the Pahalgam terror attack, Mirwaiz said, “The events of last year once again demonstrated the dangers of confrontation between India and Pakistan. We have always maintained that dialogue, rather than confrontation, remains the most responsible way forward.”
“I raise these issues not in a spirit of confrontation, but out of genuine concern for the future of our people,” he said.
Hurriyat Conference leader said if meaningful progress has been made in improving security, “the next step should be to build upon it through reconciliation, release and review of political prisoners, restoration of civil liberties and sincere political engagement.”
“The real measure of peace is not merely how much violence has declined, but how much trust has been restored. That is the message we should take from this report,” he added.
