Daily namaz were resumed on Wednesday in Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid after remaining closed for a record 19 consecutive weeks since August 5, as security forces thinned out from outside the premises.
“Constituents of the Anjuman-e-Auqaf held a meeting on the resumption of prayers on Tuesday. It was decided that the mosque should resume prayers as the shops in the local market has begun to reopen and the security presence outside has also come down,” Shams-ul-Haq, spokesperson of the mosque’s head priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, told The Hindu .
‘Immense relief’
“We were able to offer noon and late afternoon prayers on Wednesday. It has brought immense relief to the local population who were yearning to pray at this historic mosque,” he added.