Agitations in Kashmir are no more about the Amarnath land row or the alleged economic blockade imposed on the Valley, hitting the fruit industry. From the silent merchant, who sports a black flag on the counter, to the slogan-shouting masked youth driving around town with green flags, the protests are all about freedom now.
'The Pakistani defence minister talks of throwing a nuclear bomb on India. And if someone throws ink on your face, you call it violence?'
Shabir Shah, senior separatist leader and chairman of the Democratic Freedom Party, on Monday laid down some conditions before the DFP joins a front representing all the moderate separatist parties in Kashmir. Shah was responding to the call for unity by Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Farooq had asked all separatist parties to unite under the aegis of a common banner.
The Kashmir issue was raised by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his first meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, a top Pakistani advisor said on Wednesday, discounting reports that the issue was sidelined during the talks.
The strike was called to protest the arrest and subsequent booking under Public Safety Act of six of Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's close associates in Srinagar last week.
India and Pakistan should move from confrontation to cooperation, Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Tuesday said while adding that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is keen to normalise bilateral relations.
The Mirwaiz, currently on a visit to Pakistan had on Saturday sought an 'end to the armed struggle'.
Peoples Democratic Party veteran Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was sworn-in as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir heading a coalition with BJP which, in a clear departure from its earlier stand, agreed to maintain status quo on Article 370 in the common agenda for governance.
The separatists left no stone unturned in making their differences obvious
Normal life across Kashmir was affected on Monday because of the strike called by separatist groups to protest against the killing of two youths in alleged army firing in Valley's Bandipora district.
The Mirwaiz has accused Dr Singh of not living up to the promises he made.
Pakistan tonight said it was "deeply disappointed" at India putting forth "pre-conditions" for National Security Advisors-level talks, accusing it of going back on the decision mutually agreed at the highest level by coming up with "frivolous pretexts".
All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq was on Tuesday afternoon detained by police outside the Rajbagh headquarters of the conglomerate while on he was on his way to curfew-bound Shopian town in south Kashmir.
Indirectly blaming the militant groups for the attack, Khan said it seems to be the work of the forces opposed to the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan.
The ruling National Conference-Congress coalition in Jammu and Kashmir received a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections as the coalition could not win even a single seat of the 6 in the state.
From being billed as mother of "all confidence building measures" to derision as a "cosmetic step", Srinagar-Muzaffarabad cross-Line of Control bus service has survived tensions between India and Pakistan including Mumbai terror attacks and numerous ceasefire violations along the border to complete 10 years of its operation on Tuesday.
"The government's claims of democracy in the context of Jammu and Kashmir are hollow and baseless," Geelani said.
Faesal, who recently returned from a foreign training and was awaiting posting, said he had decided to resign from Indian Administrative Service, "to protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir, and lack of any sincere reach out from the Union government".
Several senior separatist leaders have rejected outright their participation in any such meet at the moment.
Nasir was arrested along with two prominent businessmen.
Afzal case: Mir detained, Fatah under house arrest
An independent legislator, Engineer Abdul Rashid on Wednesday said that he will press for the release of all political prisoners and return of the mortal remains of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru in the upcoming budget session of the state assembly.
He said the state had suffered heavily on all fronts due to militancy.
Sayeed, Abdullah and Bhat appeared together at the centenary celebrations of S P College where they studied 50 years ago.
Geelani, who was scheduled to address a Friday congregation at Rajouri town and Thanamandi, was arrested at Chingus, 90 km from Jammu.
Mirwaiz extended an open invitation to all pro-freedom groups to join the Hurriyat Conference to strengthen it.
Geelani was to visit the residence of four youths on Thursday to express sympathy and solidarity with them.
Saeed called Geelani in Jammu and Kashmir and "expressed his concern" over the health of the Hurriyat leader, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an organisation founded by Saeed and seen as the parent of the LeT, said in a release from Lahore.
If talks are progressing in the right direction, the violence will come down automatically," the Mirwaiz contended.
The decision to free the prisoners was taken by the Joint Screening Committee comprising officials of the state and the Centre.
Curfew like security arrangements continued in Srinagar to thwart any militant strike during the ongoing two-day round table conference on Kashmir convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Mirwaiz will be in New York for the Organisation of Islamic Conference general council meeting and Musharraf would be there to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The Hurriyat leaders are the real representatives of the Kashmiri people and India will have to accede to this fact, the foreign office spokesman said.
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