HC to observe 3-day strike, Lal Chowk chalo call

Srinagar, Aug 22 (UNI) After three-day normal activities, the Hurriyat Conference (HC) today appealed to people to observe a three-day general strike from tomorrow.

Making this brief announcement at Eidgah congregation, Chairman of the moderate HC Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq also urged people to join the ''Lal Chowk chalo march'' on Monday.

Tt was a religious gathering, he said, adding that it was for the first time that Friday prayers were held at Eidgah where lakhs of people participated.

Chairman of the breakaway HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani did not address the congregation.

Mohammad Yaseen Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq Ul-Islam, Shakeel Bakshi, Moulana Abbas Ansari and other separatist leaders also joined them.

They also joined the nimaz Jinazah (Gaybana) before dispersing peacefully.

''Lal Chowk chalo'' will be fourth such march since August 11 when thousand people joined the ''Muzaffarabad march''. Later there was ''Pampore chalo'' and ''Sonwar chalo'' on Monday last.

UNI BAS SW AS1830