Strike in Kashmir every Friday!

Srinagar, Sep 12: Life came to grinding halt today in the Kashmir Valley after 1230 hrs, the deadline set by the Coordination Committee (CC), spearheading the present agitation in Kashmir, to observe strike every Friday, Sep 12.

Shops and business establishments were doing normal business since morning, when shutters were suddenly downed at 1230 hrs. A number of busy business hubs in the civil lines, including historical Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, all shops and business establishments were closed after midday.

Even the roadside vendors were closed and a lesser number of vehicles were plying on the roads.

Work in government offices, banks and other financial institutions was also affected after 1230 hrs.

Most of the educational institutions have also decided to suspend work from 1230 hrs on Fridays.

Similar reports were also received from other district and tehsil headquarters, including Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara and Bandipora in north Kashmir, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam in south Kashmir and Badgam, Charar-e-Sharief and Chadoora in central Kashmir.

The CC, an alliance of separatist organisation, including both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Kashmir Bar Association, Fruit dealers and Traders, was demanding among other things, opening up of all the roads with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), release of all detenues, withdrawal of troops and special powers given to security forces.

UNI