Srinagar, 27Aug: No congregational prayers were offered at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid – the grand mosque of Kashmir for the 3rd consecutive Friday.Friday prayers were again suspended at the historic Jamia Masjid in the downtown following fresh advisory by the administration limiting gatherings to 25 people in the Union Territory.Eyewitnesses said that the prayers were not offered as authorities had locked the main gate of the mosque with armed forces personnel deployed in front of it.Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar has said that today morning the senior officials of the administration informed the Khateeb and Imam of the Central Jamia Masjid Moulana Ahmad Sayeed Naqshbandi that Friday prayers would not be allowed in the grand mosque. In this regard, a formal notice was also posted on the gate of the Jamia Masjid by the administration.The Anjuman in a statement to lamented that despite the fact worshippers are fully adhering to COVID-19 SOPs, the prayers at the largest place of worship in Kashmir were not being allowed for the last three Fridays.This is extremely sad and painful for the people especially those coming for prayers at the Jama Masjid Srinagar, it read.
