Jammu and Kashmir: Separatists call for shutdown on Eid

For the first time in the last 26 years of turmoil, separatists supervising the current unrest have called for the shutdown on Eid-ul-Azha (Bakr Eid) and asked people to march to the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) on that day.

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a conglomerate of Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, incarcerated moderate Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF leader Mohammad Yasin Malik who are supervising the current agitation, has called for 'Azadi March' towards central Eidgahs followed by a march towards UN office for submitting a memorandum to be conveyed to 71st Session of General Assembly of United Nations starting on September 13.

"Before Namaz, the Imams and Khateebs will read 'let us pledge' message to continue our struggle for freedom and boycotting all pro-occupation parties and leaders, elections, election rallies and election machinery. Everyone shall take a pledge," said the JRL spokesman

The spokesman has called for shutdown during the day but announced relaxation for the night from 6 pm to 6 am. 

This will be for the first time in the last 26 years when separatists have called for shutdown and March on Eid. Even in 2010 unrest there was no shutdown call on Eid. However Mirwaiz led an unscheduled march to Lal Chowk after offering prayers at Eidgah. Massive violence ensued in which protestors torched the Crime branch headquarters and Power Development Department complex.

There is no let up even in the run up to the Eid-ul-Azha or after. A day before the Eid when people usually go for shopping and finalize the arrangements, the JRL has asked people to hold one day 'Azadi' convention in the respective areas to "deliberate and discuss ways and means to strengthen the ongoing movement for right to self-determination".

And on the day following Eid-ul-Azha, JRL has asked people to occupy highway and Inter-district roads."Assemble and occupy highway from Banihal to Salambad- Uri and all other inter-district roads from afternoon onwards", said the spokesman

JRL said there will be no relaxation during the day. However there will be relaxation during night from 6pm to 6 am on both days.

JRL's call for UN march comes on the day when J&K minister for agriculture Ghulam Nabi Lone visited Budgam and took stock of the arrangements for Eid-ul-Azha.

"Chairing the meeting of officers, the Minister discussed threadbare the availability of essential commodities including rice, atta, sugar and K.oil, transport arrangements, cleanliness of Mosques and Eidgahs, ambulance services, uninterrupted power and water supply and repairs and renovation of street lights and roads", said an official spokesman.

Separatists holding people hostage: Mebooba

Embattled Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday took the separatists head on for shutting the doors for emissaries of dialogue saying "people can't be made hostage without making any resolution efforts". "Spurning the parleys, the separatist leadership is not facilitating the solution of the problem but only holding up the resolution process. We have lost several opportunities in the past to resolve the issue through engagement and dialogue and today again if we miss the chance, the coming generations are never going to forgive us for our intransigence," Mehbooba said while addressing a function here. Mehbooba broke her silence two days Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani did not open doors to meet members of all party delegation on Sunday prompting them to return empty handed. Incarcerated leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik too refused to talk to the parliamentarians in the jail.

Two more killings takes death toll to 74

Post all party delegation's visit, the death of two more youth during the last 24 hours has put the Kashmir valley again on the boil. Elsewhere Pakistani forces violated ceasefire on the Line of Control when they opened indiscriminate firing on Indian forward positions in Poonch sector of Jammu division Police sources said a youth was killed when security forces opened pellet fire on the protestors who tried to thwart a raid on suspected stone throwers hideouts in Seer Hamdan village of south Kashmir on Monday night. "There are still so many areas in south Kashmir where some people try to disrupt the peace. The area where this incident happened is one of those localities. Our efforts were to arrest those identified people who disrupt the peace. When our parties went there, they were attacked and not allowed to work. Forces were compelled to use force in which one death took place," said SJM Gillani, inspector general of police, Kashmir Zone.