By Owais Gul
Srinagar: Amid restrictions in the Srinagar parts, the authorities today barred people from offering congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar.
Witnesses told INS that all the four gates of historic Jamia Masjid remain locked while all the roads leading to the historic Masjid were sealed by the authorities by erecting concertina wires.
The historic Masjid witnesses a huge gathering of Nimazis on every Friday where the Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman and head cleric of Jamia Masjid deliver sermons.
The local Nimazis were disallowed by the forces to offer to offer congregational prayers at the Masjid. However, the Jamia Masjid head cleric continued to remain under house detention since Thursday in view of the protests called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.
Taking to the social networking site, Mirwaiz said that it was the 11th Friday of this year during which authorities barred Muslims to offer prayers at the historic Masjid, saying that these repressive measures will only strengthen their resolve.
“11th Friday’s so far this year of lockdown of #JamaMasjid by imposing curfew & restrictions barring Muslims from offering Juma prayers there! These repressive measures will only strengthen our r solve to freedom not weaken us! ادھر آ ستمگرہنرآزمائیں —توتیرآزما ہمجگرآزمائیں,” Mirwaiz tweeted.
