Srinagar On 21th MAY

Authorities have imposed restrictions on civilian movement in Srinagar’s old parts to stall the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat rally at Eid Gah today. The rally was part of Hurriyat’s week-long programme on the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq and Khwaja Abdul Gani Lone

This is for the first time that the authorities decided against allowing the Hurriyat amalgam to take out a rally on the occasion. The decision not to allow the rally at Eidgah was taken at a high level meeting of police, intelligence and civil administration officials late on Friday evening.

Sources said that th decision came after Mirwaiz announced that Hurriyat Conference would lay a foundation for a Martyrs Memorial at the Eidgah graveyard. Some senior civil administration and police officials visited Mirwaiz’s residence on Friday night and asked him not to go ahead with the construction of the memorial. But after refusal from the Mirwaiz to fall in line, the authorities decided to impose ban on the rally.

Last year (2010), Syed Ali Geelan, chairman of the other faction of the Hurriyat, also announced to build a martyrs’ memorial wall at Eid Gah, which government foiled by imposing curfew restrictions in the city.

Eyewitness as also local residents, who could be reached over phone, said that strict curfew has been imposed in dozens of localities including Rajouri Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Saraf Kadal, Safa Kadal, Eid Gah, Nawa Kadal, Nowhatta, Hawal and other areas. They said that police and CRPF have been deployed in strength to curb the peoples’ movement.

Reports said that groups of angry youth defied restrictions at Nowhatta and pelted stones on police and CRPF. Clashes between angry youth and police were reported at Bohri Kadal and Rajouri Kadal as well.

The uptown areas of the city are paralysed under a shutdown. While all the shops and business house are closed, private transports however ply normally.

Police are reported to have arrested several youth in Srinagar during nocturnal raids on Friday. Senior JKLF leader Javaid Mir was arrested from his Zaiana Kadal house and lodged in Maharaj Ganj Police Station. Talking to Honour over phone he said that some half a dozen local youth had also been rounded up by police and lodged in police station.

Earlier police placed Syed Ali Geelani under house arrest on Thursday to thwart him from holding a public rally at Islamabad. Geelani has announced to hold public rallies at all district headquarters to press for the release of political prisoners. According to Geelani, around 1500 Kashmiri political leaders and youth are presently languishing in jails.

JKLF chairman Yasin Malik was also taken into custody on Friday to prevent him from addressing a public rally at Kangan.