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Arrests of Kashmiris in ‘decades-old’ cases creating anxiety: Mirwaiz urges Omar Abdullah govt to intervene

Addressing the Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Mirwaiz also brought up the demand of bringing Kashmiri prisoners, who are in jails outside J-K, back to the UT

2 min readSrinagarDec 12, 2025 05:45 PM IST

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Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed concern regarding arrests and detentions of people from the Union Territory.

Calling for the intervention of Jammu and Kashmir’s elected government, the Valley’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed concern regarding arrests and detentions of people from the Union Territory.

Addressing the Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, the Mirwaiz said many were being picked up in decades-old cases, “This has created a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, especially among those persons and their families who have long since disengaged from past paths.”

He said thousands of Kashmiri prisoners are already languishing in jails in and outside J&K, some for decades, “causing immense suffering to their families”. He said that arresting more and more people only adds to the woes and pain of Kashmiris.

Drawing attention to the “serious humanitarian and legal concerns” arising from the continued detention of Kashmiris in prisons outside J&K, Mirwaiz emphasised that such practices often result in delays in trial proceedings and severely limit family access, running contrary to basic principles of humane treatment and natural justice. He also mentioned the case of a woman who had to travel by foot to Jammu recently to meet her son incarcerated at Kot Balwal.

Calling for a review of such cases, Mirwaiz appealed to the Omar Abdullah government to intervene and review the handling of such old cases and called for the transfer of detainees back to Jammu and Kashmir to ensure a “fairer, faster and more compassionate process of justice”.

He also called for bringing an end to the process of arrests and detention of individuals “who have moved on” and are not associated with any form of violence for decades.

Naveed Iqbal

Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More

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