The team of Pakistani journalists called on separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday rejected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement alleging them of stepping up violence with the help of elements from across the border."Kashmiris are struggling peacefully for their birthright but India uses its military power to suppress the peaceful and justified struggle," chairman of hard-line faction of Hurriyat Syed Ali Shah Geelani said.
Curfew was on Friday clamped in Bandipora and Kupwara districts and Sopore town in Kashmir in view of a call given by separatists to hold demonstrations to protest the killing of several youth during clashes with security forces in the last one month. The decision to impose curfew in Bandipora and Kupwara districts and Sopore town was taken in view of the decision by the hard-line faction of the Hurriyat Conference to hold demonstrations in all district headquarters.
As the crisis that rocked the Kashmir valley shows signs of easing, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday advocated a dialogue between the Centre and "everybody" in the state "who is willing to talk".
In a crackdown on separatists, the Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday arrested over 70 people, for allegedly funding and fomenting trouble in the state.With a near curfew-like situation prevailing in the Valley after the death of a boy on Sunday, a major crackdown began in the wee hours of today morning when separatist leaders Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan were arrested. Additional police forces were deployed outside the residence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
Markets, banks, semi-government institutions were closed and transport remained off the roads in Srinagar and other major towns in the state in response to the call given by hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference to protest against booking of its chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani under Public Safety Act (PSA) and continued detention of other separatist leaders.
A shutdown called by the hardline separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) against the alleged molestation and murder of a college girl in north Kashmir Kupwara district once again crippled normal life across the valley on Friday.
Authorities imposed curfew-like-restrictions in old city areas of Srinagar to foil a rally by the separatist Awami Action Committee headed by Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq on Friday.
Defying Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani's diktat to Kashmiris against joining police service in the Valley, thousands of youths have opted for the job of special police officer.
In the backdrop of an attack on a top separatist leader, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and reviewed the ongoing peace process and security situation in the state.
They want to gauge public opinion on the recent Indo-Pakistan peace talks.
On the recent spurt in militant attacks, Jaiswal said these were manifestations of their "desperation and frustration" as they did not want peace to return but the "peace process is moving forward".\n
'America and Britain want a greater role in sorting out the Kashmir problem which they liken to the Palestine problem,' says Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, former chairman of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference.
The state government is just a puppet of New Delhi, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the hardline leader of the Hurriyat Conference (G), tells Saubhadra Chatterji.
The cascade of cordiality on both sides after the Modi-Sharif handshake in Paris was preceded by much planning and even goading from UK, US and Germany.
In a confidential report, the Jammu and Kashmir police has accused moderate Hurriyat Conference leader Shabir Ahmed Shah of having links with Pakistan-based terror group Lashker-e-Tayiba. In the report to the state Home Department, the police have suggested some pro-active measures to curb the anti-national activities of separatist leaders and also slapped the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Former foreign minister in the Atal Bihari government Jaswant Singh said that if voted to power the National Democratic Alliance would continue the process of holding dialogue with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and simuatenously engage the All Party Hurriyat Conference as was done during Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister.
A general shutdown called by All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) headed by Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq on Thursday affected normal life across summer capital Srinagar and other district headquarters of the valley.
The deputy prime minister said the Centre was willing to hold talks with 'any group, which will lay down arms and shun the path of violence'.
Varun Gandhi has been gaoled for reportedly making provocative statements. Would any ministry, ever dare apply the same draconian laws against the Hurriyat Conference chairman?
Geelani was heading towards Baramulla to address Friday prayers and a public meeting
The divide within separatists in Kashmir has come to the fore again -- on the controversial issuance of a fatwa against stone pelting as a form of protest."Stone pelting cannot be justified. Islam is about discipline and if the leaders are asking people to refrain from stone pelting then they should adhere to these directions. Prophet Muhammad too has asked us to refrain from it," Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees president Maulana Showkat Ahmed Shah said on Sunday.
The former Intelligence Bureau director added that no one should jump to conclusions before the process of talks with various stakeholders in Kashmir began.
'Despite Modi's high-flown rhetoric about good-neighbourly relationships in South Asia, he lacks a road map how to proceed -- be it with Bangladesh or with Sri Lanka and Pakistan... But a deeper question arises here: Did he duck on his own accord or under the diktat from the RSS, asks Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti warned that there could be a backlash if the force loses patience.
India has never sought Dawood's extradition, the Pak high commissioner has said.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "hardline" approach on Kashmir and rejected the contention that the separatists are to blame for the stalling of Indo-Pak foreign secretary-level talks.
The Union home ministry has sought a report from Jammu and Kashmir government on circumstances leading to release from jail of hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam, who has over 15 cases pending against him.
Chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Moulvi Omar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yaseen Malik have been put under house arrest to prevent them from leading the Friday demonstrations in the valley.
Acting tough, India on Monday called off foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan next week and conveyed a blunt message that it was interfering in India's internal affairs by holding talks with Kashmiri separatists which was "unacceptable".
Srinagar is under a massive security blanket for the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's poll rally on Monday afternoon.
Geelani's supporters were demonstrating in front of his house in Srinagar to protest his house arrest.
In April, Bhat was detained under the Public Safety Act for allegedly hoisting Pakistani flags and chanting anti-national slogans at a rally in uptown Hyderpora area.
'100 Fayazs will bring a change in Kashmir, that's why they don't want a Fayaz.'
'Those who foment trouble in the valley have been told to lie low till a new elected government takes shape in the state.'
Cutting across ideological differences, political parties and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday welcomed the unilateral three-day ceasefire announced by the United Jehad Council, saying the Centre should reciprocate the gesture. "It is a good move which should have come earlier," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference. UJC chief Syed Salahuddin had announced the unilateral ceasefire from Oct 12 for Eid-ul-Fitr.
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday imposed restrictions on movement of people in parts of Srinagar following a strike call by separatist groups protesting against landing of army in the Valley on this day in 1947.
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