India is profiling Kashmir mosques, raising new surveillance fears

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 19, 2026 at 12:33 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In January 2026, police in Indian-administered Kashmir began distributing a "profiling of mosques" form, raising concerns among residents. The form requests extensive details about mosques, including their founding year, funding sources, ideological sect, and land ownership. It also seeks personal information from imams and other mosque officials, such as contact details, passport information, and even social media handles. Similar forms are being distributed to those running religious schools. Residents fear the exercise is less of a routine survey and more of an attempt by the state to exert control over religious institutions in the Muslim-majority region, leading to increased surveillance.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Al Jazeera 40% Jamia Masjid 50% Sanaullah Khan 60% Muslim ×260% Mohammad Nawaz Khan 70% Srinagar ×370% India ×290% Kashmir ×595%

Keywords

kashmir 100% mosque profiling 90% surveillance 80% religious institutions 70% indian-administered kashmir 60% police 50% madrasas 40% muslim-majority region 40%