Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Drops ‘Hurriyat Chairman’ Title From X Profile
Move comes amid the steady decline of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and continued crackdown on separatist groups in Kashmir
Srinagar : Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric and a prominent moderate separatist leader, on Thursday removed the designation of “Chairman, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC)” from his verified X (formerly Twitter) profile.
The updated bio now only mentions his name and location, omitting any reference to the separatist conglomerate. Mirwaiz, who has over two lakh followers on the platform, did not issue any immediate clarification on the change and was unavailable for comment.
The development comes against the backdrop of the diminishing relevance of the Hurriyat Conference, which was formed in 1993 as an umbrella organisation of separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir. At its peak, the APHC played a central role in coordinating protests, shutdowns and political mobilisation in the Valley.
However, the group’s influence has steadily declined over the past decade due to internal divisions and sustained action by the Centre against separatist networks. Several Hurriyat leaders have faced investigations, arrests, or organisational bans.
Mirwaiz’s own group, the Awami Action Committee, has also been banned by the Union government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
While the removal of the Hurriyat designation from his social media profile has triggered speculation in political circles, no official statement has yet been issued clarifying whether the move signals a broader shift in position or is merely a symbolic change.
