Religious Restrictions in IOK: Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid shut on Ramazan’s most sacred Friday

2026-03-18 - 21:30

Amir Mushtaq The closure of Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on March 13, the last Friday of Ramadan (Jumat-ul-Vida) marks yet another event in the ongoing struggle of Kashmiri people for religious freedom in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK). It was a significant day when Muslims around the Kashmir come together every year on such an important day to commemorate the most religious and spiritual day of Ramadan but for the seventh consecutive year, the Indian forces closed down Jamia Masjid, the centre of religious life and spirituality in Srinagar. The incident has elicited widespread condemnation in Pakistan, as well as international community demands for justice, because the people of Kashmir are continually deprived of their basic human rights to practice their religion peacefully. Jamia Masjid, which is situated at the centre of Srinagar, is not only a historic architectural site but also the religious centre of thousands of Kashmiris. This mosque is very significant to the population of Kashmir, particularly during Ramadan. The final Friday of Ramadan is referred to as Jumat-ul-Vida, which is the day of unity and devotion and all the members of the community come out in full force to pray. But this sacred Friday has never been celebrated in Kashmir because the Indian occupation forces have repeatedly shut down this place of worship, cementing the already oppressive environment. The Indian government, in the name of security measures, is still imposing restrictions on religious sites. This year, the closure of Jamia Masjid came along with the house arrest of the famous religious leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. This is not the first time the Mirwaiz has defended the rights of the Kashmiri people and criticized the policies of the Indian government in the state. The fact that he could not lead the Friday prayers this year as he did in the past years is a pointer to how much freedom the religion is suffocated under the Indianoccupation. The Indian Narrative: Security Concerns or Religious Oppression? India justifies its activities in Jammu and Kashmir as a way of maintaining law and order. However, a lot of people believe that this is one of the means to suppress the Kashmiris. The frequent shutdown of Jamia Masjid and placing religious leaders under house arrest are not considered as security measures but to prevent any opposition or resistance against Indian rule. Apparently, Indian officials argue that it is required to close the mosque to maintain peace and safety, but it does not consider the level of human rights violations Kashmiris have been experiencing over years. According to NDTV and the Times of India, the closures of the mosques are included in a bigger security plan which according to India is to prevent insurgency. However, when the police are involved in serious policing of places of worship and religious leaders the real motive behind this is brought into serious question. Mirwaiz’s Call for Justice Mirwaiz Umar Farooq made a comparison of the restrictions imposed on Jamia Masjid Srinagar to the restrictions imposed on religious activities in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is also under occupation by the Israeli forces. The Kashmiri Muslim were mentally and spiritually harmed by these closures. Another particularly strong example is the one comparing it to Al-Aqsa, which serves to remind us of the global struggle of religious freedom, regardless of the underlying geopolitical context. It resonated with the Kashmiri people who perceive these closures as a greater effort to suppress their culture and religion. The Indian authorities have long discriminated against the Kashmiris, and this new limitation demonstrates how the religious freedoms are being actively restrained in the region. Pakistan’s Response Pakistan has been critic of the activities of Indian forces in IOK and the way theytreat Muslims in Kashmir. The government of Pakistan also expressed a sharp criticism of the shutting down of Jamia Masjid and mentions that it is an evident disrespect to the religion. This move by Indian troops demonstrates how the religious freedom of Kashmiri Muslims is being gradually being denied. Such closures were the seventh consecutive year, and Pakistan continues to point this out. The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan reported that the closure contravenes international rules on human rights and the freedom of practice of religion by the Kashmiris. Other than a critic call by the Pakistani officials on the closure, on several occasions, the Pakistani officials urged the international community, such as the United Nations and other international human rights bodies, to take decisive actions against the repressive policies of India in Jammu and Kashmir. These closures are not arbitrary but are a continuation of a larger trend of religious oppression in the Indian occupied Kashmir ever since India revokedillegally its special status in August 2019. Another issue that is the increasing military force to silence the Kashmiri voices. The acts of sealing the mosque and placing Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on house arrest are all part of the larger scheme by India to dilute the Kashmiri identity and autonomy. Citizens are under surveillance and arbitrary arrests, not to mention that their religious freedom remains a right denied. Conclusion The closure of Jamia Masjid on 13 March 2026, the last Friday of Ramadan(Jumat-ul-Vida)demonstrates another painful reminder of the religious restrictions faced by the Kashmiri people under Indian occupation.This falls into a broader trend of subjugation: Kashmiris cannot even exercise their religion in the way they want and they are stifled by the Indian troops. The international community needs to intervene to make India responsible and assist in finding a peaceful, just resolution to the problem of Kashmir. The nation of Kashmir will continue to endure religious oppression, but its strength and belief indicate that it will continue to fight for justice and liberty. The international community should not remain silent on these violations. The Kashmiris situation must be brought into the attention of the international community through action to ensure that their rights to religious freedom, identity and self-determination are not violated in the region. [The author is a 7th-semester student of International Relations at the International Islamic University, Islamabad. Currently, he is serving as an intern at the Kashmir Institute of International Relations Islamabad.]