Srinagar: A 50-hour-long general strike called by the breakaway Hurriyat Conferece (HC) and supported by other separatist organisations, against Parliamentary polls in Srinagar constituency on May 7 started on Tuesday evening at 1800 hrs.
A UNI correspondent who visited a number of commercial hubs in the city, including civil lines, saw shopkeepers closing their establishments after the deadline set by the HC.
Earlier during the day people could be seen purchasing vegetables, milk, bread and other essentials in view of the two-day strike called by HC Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani who has also appealed to people to stay away from the poll process.
A similar situation was witnessed on April 28 when a 50-hour strike started to protest against polling in Anantnag constituency held on April 30.
Almost all separatist organisations, including the moderate HC, Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association (JKBA), Dukhtaran-e-Milat (DeM), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and Jamait-e-Islami have supported the strike and the boycott call.
A majority of educational institutions also declared a two-day holiday due to the strike call to avoid any untoward incidents.
Geelani, who is under house-arrest - along with Chairman of another Hurriyat faction Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq - and about a dozen other separatist leaders, has said that election or selection will not help resolve the Kashmir issue.
KBA president Mian Abdul Qayoum, supporting the strike call said the members of the bar will stay away from court during the strike days.
Also appealing to people to stay from polls, he said elections would have no impact on the Kashmir issue which has to be resolved as per the wishes of the people of the state.
Comments
0 comment