SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-e-Sharie Shian has expressed anguish and strongly condemned the decision of immigration authorities at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, to prevent its President, Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al-Safvi, from travelling to the Islamic Republic of Iran to attend the funeral ceremonies of Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei (RA).
Addressing a press conference at Budgam, Aga Syed Mujtaba Abbas Mosavi Al-Safvi, representative of Aga Syed Hassan, said the visit was solely a religious and humanitarian mission to convey the condolences, grief and solidarity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the people and leadership of Iran following the martyrdom of one of the most revered personalities of the contemporary Muslim world.
He stated that Aga Syed Hassan had completed all travel formalities and possessed a valid passport, a duly issued Iranian visa and a confirmed seat on a chartered flight arranged for invited international guests. “Despite this, he was stopped at the immigration counter, detained for nearly an hour, denied permission to board the flight and his passport was seized without any clear explanation,” he said.
Describing the action as arbitrary, deeply insensitive and an assault on the religious sentiments of millions, Aga Mujtaba said it was heartbreaking that a respected religious leader was prevented from performing what was nothing more than a solemn religious and moral obligation participating in the final rites of a leader whose martyrdom has been mourned across the world.
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had expressed their grief through massive mourning gatherings, prayers and unprecedented humanitarian solidarity with Iran, and Aga Syed Hassan’s visit was intended to represent these collective emotions before the Iranian nation.
Demanding an immediate explanation from the concerned authorities, Aga Mujtaba said such actions erode public confidence, disregard legitimate religious obligations and risk causing avoidable emotional distress to an entire community.