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| Jamia Masjid reverberates with Friday prayers after four months of continuous closure | | |  Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Nov 25: After remaining closed for four and half months the historic Jamia Masjid here in the summer capital was thrown open for the congregational Friday prayers following which Juma (Friday) prayers were offered at the Masjid.
The authorities had imposed a ban on the Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid in July this year and since then the prayers could not be held there. Last time it was on July 8 that the Friday prayers were offered at the Jamia Masjid located in Nowhatta area in downtown Srinagar.
Interestingly on July 8 in the evening Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani was killed in an encounter with police and security forces at Bemdoora in South Kashmir's Anantnag district. Following Burhan's killing street protests rocked the different parts of Kashmir due to which more than 90 persons lost their lives. Thousands others including police and security forces personnel sustained injuries during the clashes.
Pertinently following Burhan's killing curfew and restrictions were imposed across Kashmir valley due to which congregational Friday prayers could not be organized over the past more than four and half months. Since July 8 Friday prayers were also banned at various Masjids in the different districts of Kashmir. However, over the past couple of weeks with improvement in situation Friday prayers have been held in the Jamia's of various districts of valley.
Since morning today the authorities eased the restrictions and the deployment of police as well as Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was reduced to a great extent in the volatile areas of downtown Srinagar. As a result of this people of different areas made it to the historic Jamia Masjid where the congregational Friday prayers were held.
Separatist leader and chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq could not deliver his sermon at the Jamia Masjid as he continues to be under house arrest at his residence in the Nigeen area. Traditionally Mirwaiz Umar used to deliver his sermon before the Friday prayers and following which the prayers are led by the Imam-i-Hai of Jamia Masjid.
Reports said that clashes broke out between youth and police as well as security forces in the Rajouri Kadal area immediately after the Friday prayers. Groups of youth assembled after the culmination of Friday prayers outside the Jamia Masjid and took out a rally while chanting slogans. The protesters pelted stones on police and security forces personnel in the area.
Reports said that some of the protesters were carrying green Pakistani flag in the area while as the others had covered their faces with mask. Police and security forces shot tear-gas and pepper gas canisters to disperse the protestors. The clashes carried on for some time and the situation turned normal soon. Yet another rally was carried out and the same culminated at Khanyar without any untoward incident. Reports said that clashes erupted in the Sopore town of North Kashmir's Baramulla district after the Friday prayers. Scores of youth pelted stones on police and paramilitary forces deployed in the area. Police and security forces responded by bursting teargas shells on the protestors thus leading to commotion in the area. |
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