Mirwaiz Farooq alleges house arrest, says stopped from paying homage to father

Kashmiri chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest on the death anniversary of his father and a prominent Kashmiri leader, Abdul Gani Lone.

Kashmiri's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Thursday claimed he was put under house arrest on the death anniversary of his father, Mohammad Farooq Shah, the former chief preacher who was assassinated in 1990.

Mirwaiz was scheduled to visit the Eidgah graveyard to offer prayers on the 36th death anniversary of his father and the 24th death anniversary of the Peoples' Conference founder, Abdul Gani Lone.

The chief cleric claimed that people visiting Mazar-e-Shuhada (martyr's graveyard) in Eidgah to offer 'Fatiha' (special prayers) were also disallowed, ''while he himself had been placed under house arrest since May 20 evening''.

Lone's son, Handwara Sajad Lone was also placed under house arrest.

''May 21 remains a painful reminder of one of the darkest days in the history of Kashmir, when the people lost their beloved leader and voice, Mohammad Farooq Shah,'' Mirwaiz Umar said.

Expressing dissatisfaction, he claimed that people were prevented from paying homage to Shah and Lone, and those who died in the Hawal area in 1990.

Abdul Gani Lone was shot dead by terrorists on May 21, 2002, as he left a Hurriyat Conference rally held to pay tributes to Mohammad Farooq Shah.

Mirwaiz said such measures cannot ''erase the immense contribution of these beloved leaders or their place in the hearts of the people''.