Open during day after 13 weeks

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 25

For the first time in 13 weeks of unrest that has paralysed the region’s businesses, major markets in Kashmir’s main city Srinagar opened during the day and received a huge rush of shoppers on Sunday, as separatists called for a 16-hour break in shutdown, the lengthiest so far.

The city’s commercial heartland, Lal Chowk, opened at 2 pm as the longest spell of relaxation in shutdown began. As shops opened in the afternoon — for the first time in three months since the unrest began on July 8 — shoppers thronged markets, jamming the city roads at several places.

Almost every shop in Lal Chowk, whether of phone repair or bicycles, was jampacked in a rush reminiscent of pre-festivity shopping spree.

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The last time the markets in Srinagar had opened during the daytime was on July 5, a day ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr festival and three days ahead of the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.

His killing on July 8 evening had sparked off widespread protests, leading to shutdowns that remain uninterrupted so far.

The separatist leaders, who are steering the unrest by issuing weekly calendars of shutdowns and protests, had faced a defiant reaction from protesters when they had called for daytime relaxation on July 26.  As a result, the separatists refrained from daytime relaxation and limited the shopping hours to evenings.

However, as the unrest enters its 13th week, many protesters have been arrested and fatigue has also set in on the demonstrating crowds, limiting the intensity and spread of protests.

Much of the traffic during the relaxation was made up of private cars and motorcycles, while public transport services except auto-rickshaws remained off road.

Ayaz Ahmad, an auto-rickshaw driver, said he abstained from work for the first 45 days of the unrest but when there was no money left, he took his auto out during morning hours. “A leader is like the head of a family and he should consider the problems of everyone in the family,” he said.

For some, however, there was no relaxation. In Srinagar’s old city, protesters attempted to take out a rally, which was foiled. In Batamaloo, unknown youths made announcements from mosque loudspeakers asking residents that relaxation will not be observed.