Religious head of Kashmir, Mirwaiz, to present views on Waqf Amendment Bill

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the religious head of Kashmir, will appear before the parliamentary panel on Waqf Amendment Bill on Friday to convey his reservations about the draft legislation. The Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, chaired by BJP leader Jagdambika Pal, also put off its deliberations on clause-by-clause consideration of the draft legislation to next week following reservations expressed by the Opposition leaders.

Committee's Revised Schedule

The committee will now consider the bill in detail on Monday. Besides Mirwaiz, the committee is also scheduled to hear the views of the Lawyers for Justice group on Friday. The revised schedule of the Committee was circulated late Thursday night.

Earlier, the Mirwaiz was slated to meet Pal at his residence. On Wednesday, a brief statement issued by Muttahida Majlis-E-Ulema (MMU), headed by the Mirwaiz, said the delegation would convey strong reservations on certain provisions of the bill that stands to have far-reaching implications for the management and autonomy of Waqf properties and the welfare of Muslims, especially the underprivileged.

Historical Context of Mirwaiz's Appearance

This is for the first time the Mirwaiz, who also heads the virtually defunct separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference, has stepped out of the Kashmir valley post abrogation of the special status of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

(Except for the headline, nothing has been changed by All India News Network in the PTI copy.)