In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities once again prevented people from offering congregational Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar. According to Kashmir Media Service, the authorities continued to deploy Indian troops and police personnel around the historic mosque and disallowed people to offer Juma prayers at the religious place. The Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid in a statement, today, said, heavy deployment of forces’ personnel was made since early morning in the entire area. When the Auqaf employees opened up the gates of the mosque police personnel forced them to close all the gates and namazis (worshipers) were not allowed inside the mosque for offering the obligatory Friday prayers, it said. The Anjuman Auqaf said that the earlier pretext of COVID-19 pandemic by the authorities to prevent Muslims from offering Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid stands completely exposed today. “It is extremely unfortunate and disdainful of the authorities to disallow Muslims of the Valley from praying at the Central mosque by use of brute force and cause them hurt and grief. Muslims of the Valley denounce this injustice and interference in religious freedom in the strongest terms,” it reads. The Anjuman Auqaf of Jamia Masjid on Wednesday had told the authorities for holding of Juma prayers in the grand mosque in view of the blessed month of Rabi-ul-Awwal and the decline in COVID-19 infections. In a statement, today, it said the authorities have no justification to keep the largest place of worship – Jamia Masjid Srinagar – closed. The Anjuman Auqaf said that on this occasion, people in Jamia and other big mosques were to seek salvation of humanity from COVID-19 pandemic along with repentance of sins, before Almighty Allah. The Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who used to deliver weekly Friday sermon at the historic mosque, continues to remain under house arrest since August 2019. Meanwhile, British educationist, peace ambassador and founder of ‘Let Kashmir Decide’ campaign, Claire Bidwell, has said that the world must look for early and permanent solution of the Kashmir dispute. Claire Bidwell was speaking as chief guest in a reception organised by think tank Institute of Peace and Development (INSPAD) and Kashmir News Network (KNN) at National Press Club in Islamabad. INSPAD President, Dr Muhammad Tahir Tabassum, Chief editor of KNN Javed Akram Malik, prominent religious scholar, Dr Umar Riaz Abbasi, Chairperson of Lift Islamabad, Dr Asma Malik, Col (Retd) Mohabat Ali and Muhammad Talha Zubair, youth coordinator, also spoke on the occasion. Ms Claire Bidwell said Kashmir is a humanitarian issue and people must explore and support her campaign “Let Kashmir Decide” from Sunday (17 October). She appreciated INSPAD and KNN event and said, “We are with your objectives.”