Champions Trophy: Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq cheers for Pakistan after win over England

Kashmir's chief priest and chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq delivers a speech during a rally in downtown Srinagar on December 2, 2016. FILE PIC/AFP.

New Delhi: Exhibiting his fondness for the neighbouring country, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq congratulated the Pakistani cricket team for crushing England in the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy on Wednesday. “As we were finishing taraweeh, could hear the fire crackers bursting, well played team #Paksitan. Best of luck for the finals!” tweeted the separatist leader.

As we were finishing taraweeh,could hear the fire crackers bursting, well played team #Paksitan. Best of luck for the finals!

— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) June 14, 2017

A group of men in Srinagar had also burst fire-crackers, waved Pakistani flags and raised slogans to celebrate the side’s win over Sri Lanka as well. Pakistan sensationally rose to the finals of the Champions Trophy after shocking England by eight wickets in Cardiff. There is a possibility of India vs Pakistan encounter if the Men in Blue beat Bangladesh in the second semi-final in Birmingham today. The final is scheduled on Jun 18, 2017. 44-year-old Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a Kashmiri separatist leader. He is the chairman of the Awami Action Committee, one of the two key factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a "grassroots coalition" of pro-Pakistan and pro-freedom parties in Jammu and Kashmir. He is seen as the spiritual leader of Kashmir’s Muslims