Foreign Office Decries “Serious Violation” of Religious Freedom in Kashmir
Pakistan has strongly condemned the continued closure of the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. The Foreign Office (FO) issued a statement calling the action a grave infringement on religious freedom and fundamental human rights.
Seventh Consecutive Year of Restrictions
The FO highlighted that this marks the seventh consecutive year since India’s controversial actions of August 5, 2019, that occupation authorities have sealed the mosque, preventing Kashmiri Muslims from gathering for congregational prayers on this spiritually significant day.
“Preventing worshippers from offering prayers at one of the most revered mosques in the valley constitutes a serious violation,” the statement asserted. It added that such restrictions during the sacred month of Ramzan are “deeply concerning.”
Call for International Action
Pakistan has urged the international community, including the United Nations and global human rights organizations, to take notice of these actions. The FO called on India to uphold the freedom to practice religion as a fundamental human right in IIOJK.
The closure of the Jama Masjid, a central religious and cultural site, on the last Friday of Ramadan—a day of heightened spiritual significance—has drawn sharp criticism from Islamabad, which frames it within the broader context of human rights issues in the disputed region.
