Separatist shutdown call affects life in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir - A shutdown call by hardline separatist alliance Saturday affected normal life in Muslim majority areas of Indian-controlled Kashmir including summer capital city -- Srinagar, officials said.

The strike call was given by Hurriyat (freedom) Conference headed by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani to protest the conviction of Kashmiri born US-based activist Ghulam Nabi Fai by a US court last month. Fai was awarded two-year imprisonment on charges of accepting money from the Pakistani intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), for the lobby work.

Shops and business establishments remained closed in wake of the shutdown call.

"New Delhi's lobbying in US got Dr. Fai trapped in its net," said a statement issued by Hurriyat Conference, "this is an attempt to malign the ongoing movement in Kashmir. Dr. Fai has been actively highlighting the Kashmir's peaceful struggle in the world at diplomatic levels for the past several years."

The traffic on roads remained disrupted to a large extent. However, at some places private vehicles were seen plying. Similar reports were received from other district headquarters and townships as well.

Authorities fearing clashes in some parts of Srinagar city and other sensitive towns had deployed paramilitary troopers of India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and policemen to prevent clashes and protest demonstrations.

"So far we haven't received any report of untoward incident from anywhere," said a police official posted in Srinagar, "the situation is under control."

A Government official in Srinagar said the strike call affected attendance of employees in the government-run offices.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from British rule, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.