Srinagar: Even though there were no restrictions in downtown and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) Srinagar, no Friday prayers could be offered for the 19th consecutive week today in the historic Jamia Masjid, which remained locked since July 9. Official sources said Friday prayers were offered in all shrines and mosques across the Kashmir Valley. A large number of devotees participated in the Friday prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Mukhdoom Sahib at Kalaiandar in downtown. However, devotees from other parts of the Valley could not join the prayers due to non-availability of transport because of strike, called by separatists. However, no Friday prayer could be offered in Jamia Masjid for the 19th successive week.
All the main gates of the masjid, where moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, who remained under house arrest, used to addresses congregation every Friday, remained closed. Security forces could be seen deployed in the Jamia market and adjoining areas to prevent anyone to enter the area. No Friday prayers could be offered in the historic mosque last week due to curfew imposed to foil Jamia Masjid challo called by separatists. Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the agitation since July 9, have already extended the strike till November 24.
However, there will be full day relaxation tomorrow and on Sunday. Friday prayers were offered at Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad, on the bank of Dal Lake though the number of devotees was again very low, compared to even normal days as people could not come from other parts of the Valley due to curfew and restrictions. No Eid-ul-Azha prayers could be offered in Hazratbal due to curfew imposed to prevent any demonstrations. This was the first time in the history of the Valley that no Eid prayers were allowed in Hazratbal shrine, Jamia Masjid, Eidghas, and other Sufi shrines.
Friday prayers also could not be offered in Hazratbal shrine after August 5 when separatists had asked people to assemble there and pay tribute to the people killed in security force firing since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag. Prayers were also held at the shrines of Syed Yaqub Sarfi Sahib in Sonwar, Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani in Charar-e-Sharief, Jenab Sahib Soura, Shehree Kalashpora, Peer Dastijar Sahib Khanayar and Hazrat Sheikh Dawood, Batmaloo. Reports of offering of prayers were also received from other parts of the Valley. (UNI)