Life remains paralysed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 18 (UNI) Life remained crippled for the fifteenth day today in the Kashmir valley due to strike on a ''United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) office chalo'' call given by both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC).

However, the HC led coordination committee has asked people to resume normal activities from tomorrow till Thursday and march to Idgah on Friday to offer fateha to Peoples League chairman Sheikh Abdul Aziz who was killed in police firing on August 11 at Boniyar during Muzaffarabad march.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the summer capital and adjoining areas.

Educational institutions wore a deserted look as students and teaching staff stayed away.

Similar situation was witnessed in government offices, banks and other government undertakings.

However, in some areas, the government run ration depots were open distributing rice, atta and sugar among the registered consumers.

But people in most of the areas in the city alleged that their ration depots remained closed for the past three weeks.

A report from Baramulla said all shops and other business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads.

However, hundreds of vehicles were seen on roads, ready to take the people to Srinagar for participating in the UNMO chalo today.

Yesterday the situation in the district was near normal with most of the shops open and traffic plying on different routes.

Similar reports were also received from Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Sopore, Badgam and other district and tehsil headquarters.

UNI BAS SP RAI1110