Mufti’s maiden safari to Sher-Bakra sanctuary

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, April 27: With his first extensive tour of the summer capital after taking over as Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has added some symbolism to his grand plans of development and governance. Of the 25 public places he visited with a thick entourage of officials and some Ministerial colleagues on Monday, at least six were picked up from the list of the iconic religious and spiritual centres managed and controlled by his political adversaries.

During his whirlwind passage through Srinagar, Mufti made it a point to mark his attendance not only at the historic shrines and monasteries of the revered Muslim saints but also at the traditional politico-spiritual seats retained by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s and Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq’s dynasties.

At Hazratbal, repository of Prophet Mohammad’s holy relic and a grand mosque, Mufti paid obeisance and held an interaction with the Wakf management. He ordered improvement of facilities, beautification of a vast area around the shrine complex and made an inspection of the marble cladding of the minaret being laid with an estimated cost of Rs 3.60 crore. Pilgrims have been complaining inordinate delay in completion of the work and poor quality of workmanship after the crest of a dome came down crumbling a couple of years back.

During his first tenure as Chief Minister and head of the PDP-Congress coalition, in 2003, Mufti had given management of Hazratbal and several other shrines in the hands of a government-controlled Wakf board. Late Sheikh Abdullah, who has played key role in developing Hazratbal as a major religious centre for decades, retained the Wakf control which was automatically inherited by his political successor Farooq Abdullah.

However, it was none other than Mufti’s coalition partner Ghulam Nabi Azad who got a vast area around the shrine cleared for development and beautification during his regime in 2006-07.

Hazratbal has the distinction of being one-odd religious centre on which the militant-backed Kashmiri separatists failed to gain control in the last 25 years. It was occupied by militants twice but both times, its structures and the holy relic survived. Even as Army provided safe passage to the holed up militants in 1993 and avoided bloodshed, the Jammu & Kashmir Special Operations Group killed around 30 militants outside the shrine in an operation in 1996.

Mufti’s second significant destination was Jamia Masjid---the politico-religious seat of the Mirwaiz dynasty, currently represented by Chairman of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Insiders revealed that Chief Minister’s visit to Jamia Masjid precincts became possible only after a series of conversations between the government functionaries and Mirwaiz Umar’s Awami Action Committee.

As expected, Mufti issued instructions for underground cabling of the wires and improving the facilities at Wazu Khana. Presently, the wires are cluttered shabbily on the electric poles, affecting the ambience. He asked Chief Engineer to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the historic Mosque.

Chief Minister issued directions to Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Tufail Matoo to identify land for construction of a community-cum-marriage hall to facilitate the people residing in the areas adjoining the Jama Masjid.

During his visit to the revered shrine of Sultan-ul-Aarifeen Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom in the foothills of Hari Parbat, near the famed Badam Wari, Mufti instructed Director Tourism Farooq Shah to come up with a plan of mini-ropeway connecting the base to the top of the hill where J&K Tourism Development Corporation has set up a restaurant.

However, contrary to a many expectations, Mufti did not commit anything on the relocation of a paramilitary CRPF company which had occupied the vantage position in 1990. Residents, pilgrims and tourists have been demanding relocation of the camp and the historic Mughal fort’s development as a tourist destination. It provides a pan0ramic view of entire Srinagar city.

Mufti also paid obeisance at Khanqah-e-Mou’lla, the seat and monastery of the 14^th century’s revered saint and preacher Ameer-e-Kabir Mir Sayyed Ali Hamadani. He also performed his afternoon prayers on the premises of the ornate shrine situated on the right bank of river Jhelum and covered by densely-populated neighbourhoods of downtown Srinagar, popularly known as Shehr-e-Khaas.

Controlled by Mirwaiz Umar, Shehr-e-Khaas has been the hub of pro-Pakistan and secessionist political activity, militancy and stone-pelting demonstrators since 1990. Mufti asked Director Tourism and other authorities to introduce navigation tourism which would carry pilgrims and tourists directly through The Jhelum to shrines of Khanqah-e-Mou’lla, Bulbul Shah Sahab, Rehbab Sahab and other pilgrim tourist attractions.  He also asked for renovation and beautification of the already retrieved Aali Masjid in Aalikadal area of downtown Srinagar.

Chief Minister also carried out an inspection of the historic Iddgah Grounds, also under the control of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Mirwaiz’s slain father Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq is among hundreds of the civilians and militants, killed during the last 25 years of the Kashmir conflict, who stand buried in a section of the Iddgah grounds, called Mazaar-e-Shuhada or ‘Martyrs Graveyard’.

Even as Iddgah Grounds have been developed with structures and landscaping by Mufti and Azad in 2003-08, many of Kashmir’s separatist political congregations have taken place here. During his visit, Mufti ordered the authorities to initiate another programme of comprehensive development including drainage facility and electrification.

First time in last several years, Mufti’s tone and tenor was completely different from his speeches and statements which made him appear “soft” to separatist politicians, militants and stone-pelting youths. All through his visit, which came in days of the arrest of prominent separatist leaders like Masarat Aalam and Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Mufti made no reference to the secessionists. For many, it carried a statement that governance and development were the only priorities of his government.

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