Srinagar: While welcoming the decline in violence in Kashmir post 2019, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Friday that lasting peace requires justice, reconciliation and restoration of public trust.
Addressing the Friday congregation at the Jama Masjid here, Mirwaiz referred to the recently released International Crisis Group report on Jammu and Kashmir.
“The report says that militancy, street protests and violence have declined in recent years, which everyone welcomes, as no one understands the value of peace more than the people of Kashmir, who have suffered enormously over the past several decades,” he said.
However, he said the report also “makes a fundamental point that reduction in violence does not necessarily mean that underlying political grievances have been resolved, or that public confidence has been restored.
“Security is necessary, and the government has a responsibility to protect lives. But security measures alone cannot provide a lasting answer to a problem that also has deep political and human dimensions,” Mirwaiz said. He asserted that “Kashmir remains one of the most militarised places on earth”.
“One of the most disturbing aspects highlighted in the report is the scale of arrests and detentions since 2019. According to the Union Home Ministry’s own figures, 3,662 people were arrested under UAPA in Jammu and Kashmir between 2019 and 2023, while only 23 convictions were recorded during that period. These figures raise serious questions about prolonged detention, due process and the widespread use of stringent laws,” he said.
Mirwaiz said thousands of families suffer the consequences of arrests, detentions and prolonged legal proceedings and they continue to live with uncertainty about the future of their loved ones.
Referring to the detention of Kashmiri political prisoners, including Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Shahid Ul Islam, Engineer Rashid, Asiya Andrabi, and Masrat Alam, he said their incarceration “remains a matter of concern”.
“We have repeatedly appealed for their release, review of their cases and humanitarian consideration towards elderly and ailing prisoners. I reiterate that appeal today,” he said.
Mirwaiz said justice and compassion cannot be separated from the pursuit of peace. “The report also raises concerns about restrictions on political and civic activities, the shrinking space for peaceful expression, curbs on free reporting and a growing feeling of alienation. These are concerns that should not be brushed aside,” he said.
Mirwaiz asked that if the situation has improved, “should it not also be an opportunity to ease restrictions, review detentions, restore civil liberties and create an environment in which people can express their views and grievances peacefully?”
“Peace cannot simply be measured by the absence of protests. The report calls for the restoration of statehood, meaningful powers for the elected government, a review of stringent anti-terror laws and renewed dialogue between India and Pakistan. These are important recommendations that deserve serious consideration,” he said.
“Our consistent position has been that the Kashmir issue cannot be addressed through a security approach alone”, he said, adding that “political issues require political engagement, and longstanding grievances require sincere efforts at reconciliation.”
“While governments have their own security concerns and responsibilities, but, the concerns and aspirations of the people are equally important and must find a place in any meaningful process towards peace,” he said.
“If meaningful progress has been made in improving security, the next step should be to build upon it through reconciliation, release and review of political prisoners, restoration of civil liberties and sincere political engagement,” he said.
The real measure of peace is not merely how much violence has declined, but how much trust has been restored. That is the message we should take from this report, Kashmir’s chief cleric added.
