In first speech in four years after Aug 2019, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq echoes Modi, says "...this is not the time for war"

In his first speech after August 2019, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday termed Kashmir as a humanitarian issue and said despite advocating peace he was branded as anti-national, anti-peace and separatist.

He echoed PM Narendra's Modi words and went on to say, the Prime Minister said about Ukraine that "this is not the time for war. He is right". 

“Disputes and disagreements should be resolved by talks rather than using power or unilateralism.” He called for the release of “numerous political prisoners”.

The government freed Kashmiri chief cleric and Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday after more than four years of house arrest. The 50-year-old was detained along with other political leaders and thousands of residents when the government cancelled held Kashmir’s constitutional semi-autonomy and imposed federal rule in 2019.

A months-long internet shutdown followed as India bolstered its armed forces in the region to contain protests.

Most detainees were subsequently released, but Mirwaiz remained unable to leave his residence, down the street from his Jamia Masjid mosque in Srinagar.

Thousands of worshippers gathered to see him lead Friday prayers for the first time in 218 weeks, with women showering him with sweets and religious slogans resounding around the 14th-century building.

Last week, a court asked authorities to explain his continued detention and he told the crowd that police informed him on Thursday that officials had decided to release him.

“This period of my house arrest and separation from my people has been the most painful for me since my father’s death,” he said, breaking down.

Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meet reiterate pledge to "....effectively curb terrorist activities"

"We are committed to countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including preventing the international and cross border movement of terrorists, and countering terror finance networks and safe havens. We stressed the need for a comprehensive and balanced approach to effectively curb terrorist activities through whole of nation and whole of international community efforts," the Joint Readout of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting said. 

"Good to join my fellow Quad foreign ministers from Australia, India, and Japan on the sidelines of #UNGA78. The Quad is vital to our shared vision for a Free And Open Indo Pacific, and together we reaffirmed our commitment to uphold the purposes and principles of the @UN ," wrote US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

"We also discussed the recent Quad Counter terrorism Working Group’s Consequence Management Exercise, which explored the capabilities and support Quad countries could offer regional partners in response to a terrorist attack and look forward to the upcoming Quad Counter terrorism Working Group meeting and tabletop exercise in Honolulu, Hawaii in December which will focus on countering the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. 

We continue to cooperate on countering the use of the internet and other technologies for terrorist and violent extremist purposes.

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Dr Jaishankar and Japanese counterpart

"We reaffirm our conviction that international law, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the maintenance of peace and security in the maritime domain underpin the development and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. We emphasize that disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, without threat or use of force. We emphasize the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address challenges to the global maritime rules-based order, including with respect to maritime claims, and in the South and East China Seas. 

"We emphasize the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with UNCLOS and reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. We continue to express serious concern about the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore exploitation activities.

"We express our deep concern over the war raging in Ukraine and mourn its terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences. We underscore the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with international law, consistent with the principles of the UN Charter. 

"We are deeply concerned about the global food security situation and support the efforts of the UN in the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). In the context of this war, we concur that the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons would be unacceptable. We underscore that the rules-based international order must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states."