A complete shutdown was observed on Saturday in Held Kashmir against the killing of prominent Mujahid commander, Zakir Musa, and a civilian, Zahoor Ahmad. Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments remained closed while transport was off the road in the Held valley of Kashmir. Call for the shutdown was given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, to register protest against the killing of Zakir Musa and Zahoor Ahmed.
Officials said the curbs on the movement of people were in force in parts of Srinagar, and Kulgam and Pulwama towns. Schools and colleges remained shut while mobile internet continued to be suspended across the valley. Trains on the Baramulla-Banihal line remained off the tracks due to the situation, the officials said. "Curfew continued to remain imposed in parts of the Kashmir valley on Saturday as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order," they said. In Srinagar, the officials said, "strict restrictions" were in place in Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal and M R Gung police station areas, while "partial restrictions" were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas.
Indian troops martyred Zakir Musa along with his associate in a clash in Dadsara Tral area of Pulwama district on Thursday. Zahoor Ahmad, a resident of Naira area of Pulwama district, was abducted and killed by the Indian armed agents on the same day.
Meanwhile, the occupation authorities continued to impose curfew and other restrictions in Srinagar, Kulgam and Pulwama for the second straight day, today, to prevent people from staging demonstrations against the killing of Zakir Musa. The authorities also kept the educational institutions closed and train service suspended across the Kashmir valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party in a statement in Srinagar said that the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, must concentrate on resolution of the Kashmir dispute. It said that he should release all Kashmiri political prisoners as a goodwill gesture on or after taking oath of the office for the second term.
An Indian soldier committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle at an army camp in Pattan area of Baramulla district, today. This incident raised the number of such deaths amongst the Indian troops and police personnel to 426 in occupied Kashmir since January 2007 till date.
Police, today, recovered a dead body in Surankote area of Poonch district. A massive landslide hit the Jammu-Srinagar Highway in Ramban district in the wee hours today, leading to the suspension of traffic on the only road linking Kashmir with rest of the world.
On the other hand, former senior advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations and prominent Kashmiri intellectual, Ambassador Yusuf Buch, passed away in New York. Ambassador Buch was a living encyclopedia on Kashmir. He lived an illustrious life of courage and dedicated his life for the cause of Kashmir.