24 minutes ago
2
ARTICLE AD BOX
3 min readSrinagarMay 21, 2026 05:50 PM IST
While Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (left) said he is under house arrest, Sajad Lone said JKPC had planned a commemoration event which had to be cancelled. (Express photo)
People’s Conference president Sajad Lone and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Friday that they were restricted from leaving their residences as they marked the death anniversary of their fathers.
Sajad Lone was set to visit the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar to pay his respects to his father, Abdul Gani Lone, and the party had also planned a commemoration event at its Handwara office, which was subsequently cancelled, the party said.
“I, along with my colleagues at the @JKPCOfficial, were to go to the Martyrs graveyard today to offer fateh for my father Abdul Gani Lone, who was martyred 22 years back on May 21 by terrorists. But the police came early morning and informed me that I have been placed under house arrest,” Lone said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also marked the death anniversary of his father, Molvi Mohammad Farooq, and said that he had also been restricted to his residence since Wednesday evening. He also paid tribute to Abdul Gani Lone.
“The 21st of May is a painful reminder of one of the darkest days in the history of Kashmir, when people lost their voice with the martyrdom of their beloved leader Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq. The mayhem that followed, with more than 70 mourners killed and hundreds injured, is etched in the collective memory of people. Years later, on the same day, another sane voice was silenced when Shaheed-e-Hurriyat Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone was snatched from us,” he said.
He also termed it “unfortunate and condemnable” that through “intimidation, might and media gags, the state prevented people from expressing their sentiments and paying tributes to their beloved leaders and the Martyrs of Hawal”.
Mirwaiz said that people are not even allowed to go individually to Mazar-e-Shuhada at Eidgah to offer fatiha prayers, “While I am under house arrest since yesterday evening. Repressive tactics will not change reality nor erase the contribution of these beloved leaders and their place in people’s hearts”.
Story continues below this ad
Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti paid tribute to both leaders, saying that their “supreme sacrifice” is a reminder of their commitment and contribution to the cause of Jammu and Kashmir. “As we pay our tribute to them, we renew our pledge to restoration of our constitutional rights, lasting peace with dignity and creation of a welfare state free of fear and intimidation,” Mufti said.
Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
English (US) ·