Srinagar: The two-day strike call given by the separatist leadership in Kashmir valley which has been reeling under unrest since July 9, disrupted business and other activities for the second consecutive day on Saturday.
Police said there was no curfew or restrictions in any part of the Kashmir Valley though security forces remained deployed in strength to maintain law and order.
However, business and other activities remained paralysed though private and some public vehicles, besides three-wheelers, could be seen plying on some routes in Kashmir valley.
All shops remained closed in the main business hubs in civil lines, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city. The number of vehicles plying on the roads was also comparatively less.
Meanwhile, all roads leading to Maisuma, stronghold of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, which were closed on Friday, were open though shops and business establishment in the area remained closed in support of separatists strike call.
In the uptown areas where shops and business establishments remained closed and only some public and private vehicles were plying on roads, which used to witness traffic jam on Airport road at Rambagh due to traffic diversion.
Major areas in the Old City aka Downtown witnessed clashes between security forces and pro freedom demonstrators after Friday prayers.
Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the agitation since July 9, for the first time had given strike call for only two days in a week in the last fortnight of December. In its previous calendars, the separatists used to give relaxation over the weekends.
Business and other activities remained closed in this and other south Kashmir towns, including Pulwama, Kulgam, Awantipora and Pampore, a report from Anantnag said.
Some private vehicles, besides public transport, were plying on many routes in south Kashmir, where government offices were also affected due to the strike.
The situation in other major towns and tehsil headquarters in north Kashmir was no less different where life remained affected due to strike. Security forces and state police personnel remained deployed in entire north Kashmir, where shops and business establishments remained closed for the second day today though some private vehicles were plying on roads. Security forces also remained deployed on bridges over the river Jhelum, connecting old town with civil lines in Baramulla.
Similar reports were received from Kupwara, Handwara, Bandipora, Ajas, Pattan and Palhalan, where life remained crippled in support of separatists call.
Reports of complete strike were also received from central Kashmir districts of Ganderbal and Badgam, including Kangan, Charar-e-Sharief, Chadoora and Chanapora, where business establishments and shops remained closed though some passenger and public transport was plying on roads at some places.
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