Mirwaiz put under house arrest in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 5 (UNI) Chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq was today put under house arrest to prevent him from attending the Jamia Masjid march tomorrow.

The march call was given by the Coordination Committee (CC), whcih is heading the present agitation, including poll boycott campaign, in Kashmir valley.

A spokesman of the HC Shahidul Islam told UNI that a large number of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been deployed near the Nigeen residence of Mirwaiz since this morning.

He said the Hurriyat chairman was informed that he has been put under house arrest and he cannot leave till further orders.

Mr Shahidul said Mr Mirwaiz was frequently being put under house arrest by the authorities for the past three months. Even he was not being allowed to offer Friday prayers in the mosques during the holy month of Ramzan, he said.

The CC, an alliance of both the factions of the HC and other separatists, trade, Kashmir Bar Association, has given a call for tomorrow appealing people to join Jamia Masjid march tomorrow.

The CC, among other things, is demanding opening of all cross- Line of Control (LoC) routes, release of all detenues and withdrawal of special powers to security forces in the state.

The CC is also heading the anti poll-campaign in the valley.

However, the authorities have arrested almost all senior leaders of the CC and majority of them have been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Chairman of the breakaway HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani is however in Delhi for treatment.

UNI BAS RJ NS1816