Valley shuts over ban on JKLF

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 24

Normal life was affected on Sunday due to a partial shutdown observed in protest against the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) under “unlawful activities”.

The call for the shutdown was issued by the joint resistance leadership of Kashmiri separatists which termed the ban on the JKLF “as highly authoritarian, autocratic and pure political vendetta”.

In Srinagar, most of the shops and business establishments were shut. However, public transport plied normally. The authorities deployed large number of security men in sensitive parts of Srinagar to maintain law and order. There were reports of a partial shutdown in other parts of the Valley.

A police officer in Srinagar said the situation remained peaceful. “There was no report of any untoward incident,” he added.

Apart from separatists, mainstream political parties also condemned the Centre’s move of banning the JKLF.

Pandits welcome move

Days after the Central government banned the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) for supporting secessionist activities and ‘genocide’ of Hindus in the Kashmir valley, displaced Pandits have reiterated the demand for constitution of a judicial commission to investigate targeted killing of the minority community.

On March 22, the Cabinet Committee on Security, as per the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, banned the JKLF led by Yasin Malik. The group was allegedly responsible for killing several Pandits during the initial years of militancy.

“We welcome the ban which for the first time acknowledges the exodus of Pandits. There is a need to expose people who supported the killers of Pandits,” said Col (retd) Tej Tikoo, president, All India Kashmiri Samaj.

Meanwhile, the Arde Narishwar Trust (Nadimarg-Kashmir) has urged the state and Central governments to reinvestigate the killing of 24 Pandits on March 23, 2003, in the Valley.