If Mirwaiz is anti national, why Z security for him?
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar,(DD) People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has strongly criticized the ban on the Awami Action Committee (AAC), a socio-political and religious organization led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. She questioned the logic behind banning the AAC while simultaneously providing Z-category security to its leader, calling the decision a “contradictory move” by the government.
“If Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is anti-national, then why is he being given Z-security? And if he is not, then why is his party being banned?” Mehbooba said in a statement on Tuesday, expressing her dismay over the government’s actions.
The AAC, founded by Mirwaiz Umar’s father, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq, has played a significant role in Kashmir’s political and religious affairs for decades. The elder Mirwaiz was assassinated in 1990 by unknown gunmen, a killing that remains a painful chapter in Kashmir’s history. Mehbooba pointed out that the Mirwaiz family has made huge sacrifices and has historically advocated for dialogue and reconciliation.
Mehbooba Mufti has been vocal about what she calls the “systematic silencing” of political and religious voices in the Valley. “They want to erase every voice that speaks for Kashmiris,” she alleged.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has not yet issued an official statement regarding the reasons behind the reported ban. However, sources suggest that the AAC’s activities may have come under the scanner for alleged links to separatist politics—a charge that its leadership has often denied.
Mehbooba’s remarks also raise questions about the government’s approach towards Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was released from four years of house arrest in September 2023. While authorities provide him high-level security, citing threats to his life, his political and religious activities have remained under scrutiny.(DD)