By Sheikh Imran Bashir, Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Life continued to remain disrupted in the Valley due to the week-long shutdown called by the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, authorities have imposed curfew and restrictions across Srinagar, Sopore and Baramulla on Wednesday.
There was no restriction on the movement of people in civil line areas but prohibitory orders were strictly being enforced in old city areas falling under police stations of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Lal Bazar, Maharajgunj, Safakadal, Maisuma, Bemina and Parimpora.
There are reports of small protests and restrictions in other places across valley.
However, a complete shutdown is being observed across Kashmir Valley in protest of the civilian killings and large scale detentions.
Business establishments, shops, private/government offices, educational institutions, banks, etc. remain closed in Srinagar and other towns. Public transport is mostly off the roads. Some skeleton private transport is seen plying in some small towns and Srinagar’s uptown areas.
Similarly other people had to cover the distance from the troubled spot to civil lines on foot despite the rain.
Curfew was on Wednesday clamped in Baramulla, which witnessed protests over the drowning of a student, even as authorities terminated the services of a policeman accused by locals of pushing him into the river.
Official sources told Agence India Press that scores of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in Baramulla this morning to strictly enforce curfew.
Today, JKNPP Chairman Bhim Singh met Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a senior Hurriyat leader detained under the Public Safety Act in the Chasma Shahi sub-jail here.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) who has been detained under the Public Safety Act since June 20.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party leader said he invited Geelani to share a common platform at Lal Chowk on July 28 so that a political process was launched to mobilise the people’s opinion for the return of peace to the Valley.
Singh also extended invitation to all political parties and people to assemble there to fight for their “rights and justice”.
Meanwhile, Kashmir High Court Bar Association Wednesday called upon the world to pressurize India to realize promise of plebiscite to the troubled population.
“People of the Kashmir valley are facing continuous repressive measures at the hands of Government of India and the state that complement each other to add to the miseries of people,” Bar spokesman said while addressing lawyers during a sit-in protest.
He said that the movement of the people has been completely crippled. “This is against the fundamental right of freedom of movement, expression,” he said. “Without declaring any kind of emergency, we fail to understand what kind of provisions of constitution they are applying,” he added.
He also demanded release of all leaders, youth including JKHBA president Mian Abdul Qayoom and general secretary G.N .Shaheen.
At the otherside, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, called on the Governor, N. N. Vohra, at Raj Bhavan here today.
Chief Minister briefed the Governor about the recent developments and the obtaining situation in the State, during their meeting which last for an hour and a half.
The Chief Minister also informed the Governor about his recent visit to New Delhi and the meetings he had with the Prime Minister, UPA Chairperson, and the Union Home Minister.
The Chief Minister apprised the Governor about the ongoing meetings of the various District Development Boards and the steps being taken to speed up the implementation of development and welfare schemes.
Among other matters, the Governor expressed his serious concern about the grave consequences of the disruption of the academic schedules, resulting in the closure of schools, colleges and universities. To identify various possible remedial steps it was agreed that the Governor.
The valley has been tense for more than a month. Fifteen people have been killed in security force firing here since June 11 while two were drowned allegedly by the security forces during clashes between stone pelting protesters and the security forces.
The state government has decided to hold an independent enquiry into the circumstances those led to the unfortunate deaths of the civilians in the valley.
Pitching for a massive decisive putsch to settle issues once for all, Hurriyat (G) leader, Masarat Aalam, yesterday hinted that the current agitation in Kashmir was likely to continue, and asked parents to educate children at home.
The Hurriyat (G) leader denied that his alliance was funding stone-pelting, saying that Kashmiris were not liable to be misled by any one, and accused the PDP of having tried its best to crush the resistance movement in Kashmir during its rule.
“It is better to go for a decisive battle once for all than to die and bear coffins every day,” Aalam said in an interview to the local news agency.
“Our struggle is in a decisive stage, and this is the collective will of the masses. The army can either kill us, or we will be rid of them,” he said.
Terming the situation in the valley as extremely serious, he said that curfews, army excesses, PSA on lawyers and large scale arrest of youth were an indication of the gravity, but added that the public response to the Hurriyat (G)’s programme had been encouraging.
When asked whether people would have to suffer again from the disunity in the separatist camp as seen in the shrine board agitation, he said that vicissitudes were a part of the history of nations, and that a living people learnt lessons from the past to make their future course secure.