People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday alleged that security forces imposed restrictions on Friday prayers and prevented the Azaan at the historic Pakherpora Mosque in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a post on X, Mufti condemned the reported restrictions and urged the authorities to take action.
“Strongly condemn the reported curbs on Friday prayers and the denial of the Azan at the historic Pakherpora Mosque. Such scenes were unheard of even during the darkest years of militancy,” she wrote.
She also appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor’s Office, the General Officer Commanding (15 Corps), and the Director General of Police to ensure accountability if such incidents had occurred.
Security Forces Reject Allegations
Security forces, however, denied the allegations, stating that no restrictions were imposed on Friday prayers or the Azaan at the mosque on July 24.
A senior district police official told Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that a cordon and search operation (CASO) had been underway in the Pakherpora area for the past few days following specific intelligence inputs.
According to the official, the security operation may have caused temporary inconvenience for some devotees travelling from outside the locality due to security checks and movement restrictions around the operation area.
Friday Prayers and Azaan Held as Scheduled
The police official clarified that religious activities at the mosque continued without interruption.
“There was no restriction on the offering of Friday prayers or the Azaan at Pakherpora Mosque on July 24. The Friday congregational prayers and the Azaan were conducted as scheduled,” the official said.
The official also urged people not to rely on unverified information circulating on social media and advised the public to follow official sources for accurate updates on security-related matters.
