The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday night allowed congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid for the first time since the scrapping of the region’s special status in 2019, with next month’s proposed G20 meetings possibly forcing the change.

The government faced tough questions last week after disallowing Jumat ul Vida prayers, marking the last Friday of Ramazan, at Jamia Masjid.

Thousands thronged the mosque for prayers on Shab e Qadr, the holiest night in the Muslim religious calendar, after the government gave permission.

Many in Kashmir believe that Monday’s decision was taken against the backdrop of the proposed G20 meetings as the government has so far remained unfazed by criticism against disallowing major congregations at Jamia in the last four years.

The Centre has announced the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar on May 22-24 despite opposition by Pakistan. The government is hard-selling the meetingto project normality in Kashmir.

Srinagar police released a video showing a large gathering at the mosque.

Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the managing committee of the mosque, in a statement on Tuesday, said Shab-e-Qadr was observed with great devotion.

Anjuman, however, regretted that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was not allowed to deliver the sermon. Mirwaiz, who heads a Hurriyat faction besides being the Valley’s chief cleric, has been under house detention since August 4, 2019.