Hurriyat Ends Strike, Demonstrations to Go on
The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference has ended the strike called to protest rape and murder of two Shopian women allegedly by security forces. Immediately after withdrawal of strike, major towns of Kashmir valley have returned to normalcy with government and private establishments returning to business.
Though Hurriyat did not decide to carry on strike on the issue any further, demonstrations will continue in the valley, said a Hurriyat spokesman.
Ayaz Akbar, Hurriyat spokesman, said that there was no truth in the rumours that strike had been extended further.
In the wake of end of strike, shops, markets, government offices, educational institutions, banks, courts and business establishments reopened this morning and vehicles were back on the roads bringing life back to normal in the summer capital that witnessed massive protests for eight days.
However, Akbar asked people to observe the programme already announced by the Hurriyat hours before its chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani along with his aides was arrested on Friday. As per the programme, students will hold demonstrations in their schools tomorrow followed by protests by office goers on Thursday.
The valley witnessed violent protests and curfew-like situation for eight days against the alleged rape and murder of Asiya (17) and her sister-in-law Nilofar (22) with authorities imposing restrictions to thwart the separatists’ planned march to Shopian.
