KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Kashmir valley is witnessing shutdown on 90th day on Thursday. However, the summer capital is witnessing considerable movement of private and government vehicles.
Kashmir erupted in mass protests when army and police killed popular Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani on July 08, 2016 – the day coincided with third Eid-ul-Fitr around the world and Kashmir. That was the last day when Kashmir witnessed normal life.
Private and government vehicles are seen plying on Srinagar roads. Old City is witnessing huge deployment of forces and people are staying home.
Uptown, TRC, Jahangir Chowk and Batamaloo areas of summer capital are witnessing rush of street vendors but “sense of security is missing”.
“I had not much customers,” Farooq Ahmad, a street vendor who has installed his cart at Hari Singh High Street, said, “but yes, government employees do come to buy things.”
Like Farooq, a dozen others have set up their stalls but “there are very less customers”. However, in all this “rush”, public transport is completely missing. In an incident, two auto rickshaws were set ablaze in Old Srinagar on Oct 4th 2016. Government is giving compensation to the owners of gutted auto rickshaws.
After mass protests erupted, the resistance leadership called for shutdown after the death of Burhan Wani. The mass protests faced stiff resistance from men in uniform and at least 93 civilians have been killed since July 09, 2016. 15000 others have been injured, 100 of them losing eye sight to lethal pellets while over 7000 people have been detained by police, however, many of them have been released.
The uprising is spear headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik – all of whom are under arrest. On Wednesday evening, they issued a new protest calendar calling for a protest march to UNMOGIP office at Sonwar.
“The Srinagar hospitals are witnessing considerable rush of patients,” an eye witness at SKIMS Soura said, “private vehicles have been parked in and outside the hospital campus.”
The protests calendar has given relaxation in shutdown this evening from 5 PM. The resistance leadership has given five points to end the stalement.
“Unlike Sundays,” a keen observer said, “week days are witnessing rush of private vehicles in Lal Chowk and uptown areas.” He said that on past few Sundays, Srinagar was completely shut.
