On the death anniversaries of his father Molvi Mohammad Farooq and senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called for a partial closure in portions of Srinagar on Saturday.
Life was affected in Maisuma, the bastion of JKLF leader Yasin Malik, while many parts of the old city, where Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has a strong following, saw stores and businesses close. ‘The shutdown call by Hurriyat had its impact in some pockets of the city. Many areas like Nawhatta, Chatabal and interiors of Karan Nagar were closed,’ stated a resident of the downtown area who did not want to be identified. Commercial activities have also been suspended in the Khanyar, Fatah Kadal, Habba Kadal, and Bohri Kadal areas, according to a local.
However, markets in Lal Chowk, the city’s main commercial area, were mostly open. ‘The city centre, including Residency Road and Regal Chowk markets, was open and traffic movement was also normal. A part of Lal Chowk reopened later in the day,’ said Farhan Kitab, president of a retailers’ association.
The Hurriyat Conference had called for a ‘bandh,’ claiming that the situation in Kashmir was worsening. MY Tarigami of the CPIM, Sajad Lone of the People’s Conference, and Naeem Akhtar of the PDP were among those who paid respect to the two leaders.
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