Thaindian News

Srinagar, Nov 24 (IANS) Life was partially affected across the Kashmir Valley due to a separatist-called shutdown Wednesday but no curfew or restrictions were imposed.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani called for a shutdown across the valley as part of his group’s ‘Quit Kashmir’ campaign, which started in June.

He has been issuing protest calenders on a weekly basis to mount pressure on India and highlight the Kashmir problem internationally.

A total of 110 people have lost their lives in clashes with the security forces since June 11, and public response to Geelani’s protests and shutdowns has declined to a large extent.

Main markets in Srinagar city and towns like Anantnag, Kupwara, Badgam, Pulwama and Sopore remained closed Wednesday but educational institutions, banks, post offices, government offices, private transport and markets on the city peripheries and in uptown residential areas functioned normally.

Faced with lukewarm response, Geelani has called just two days of shutdown Wednesday and Saturday this week, according to his present weekly calender.

This is a huge departure from his earlier protest calender which had allowed just a day of normalcy in a week and paralysed life across the valley for over four months.

Authorities here have definitely been encouraged by the declining public response to the separatist-called shutdowns and a clear proof of this is their decision not to impose any curfew or restrictions during the protests now.

Earlier, the authorities would react almost in panic and impose curfew or restrictions the moment the separatists called for shutdown or protests.