Overview

• On August 1 at Srinagar’s Jama Masjid, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq appealed to New Delhi to bridge the “dil ki doori” with Jammu & Kashmir through multi-level engagement.
• He commended Mian Altaf, Engineer Rashid and Aga Ruhullah for voicing local disempowerment and the human costs of conflict during the recent parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor.
• After Jammu & Kashmir authorities lifted his travel curbs, the Hurriyat leader flew to Delhi with his mother and family, marking a rare move beyond Srinagar.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated that the government will not negotiate with the banned Hurriyat Conference and will instead engage with Kashmiri youth.
• Mirwaiz framed dialogue as a “far cheaper and evolved” alternative to force following the April Pahalgam attack and India’s cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor.