SRINAGAR – Complete shutdown will be observed in occupied Kashmir,tomorrow, to register protest against the holding of the so-calledmunicipal and panchayat polls in the territory.
Call for the shutdown has been given by the Joint Resistance Leadershipcomprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malikand supported by other organizations including the High Court BarAssociation.
The four-phase polls for the local bodies in occupied Kashmir would be heldon 8th, 10th, 13th and 16th of this month.
The authorities have placed many Hurriyat leaders including Syed AliGilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Mukhtar Ahmed Wazabesides several activists under house arrest or in detention to preventthem from conducting campaign for boycott of the farcical polls in theterritory.
Various Sikh bodies including Sikh Intellectuals Circle, International SikhFederation and Sikh Students Federation in a statement have alreadyannounced the boycott of the elections.
Meanwhile, curfew-like restrictions have been imposed in the territoryahead of the first phase of farcical local bodies’ election tomorrow.
Since the last few days, forces have intensified frisking at many locationsparticularly in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley. They have alsoestablished mobile check points, where checking of cars, motorcycles andcommuters is being conducted.
Over 400 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in Kashmir forthe election duty.
Among them, many companies are securing the government quarters, hotels andDak Bungalows in Kashmir where poll candidates have been shifted in thename of safety.
On the other hand, the authorities suspended mobile internet services insouth Kashmir ahead of polls as well as to keep policemen away fromextending online resignations through social media platforms.