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| Friday fever: Srinagar besieged | | Govt says, restrictions unavoidable | | Early Times Report
Srinagar/Jammu, Dec 5: A symbolic scene of almost every Friday afternoon since eruption of the present round of separatist movement in Valley, a curfew like situation prevailed in the Srinagar City today amidst a complete shutdown and thick presence of the security forces.
The Friday prayers, however, could not be held at the Jamia Masjid as supporters of Awami Action Committee called for a boycott in view of house arrest of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the head priest. Government said that authorities were making all arrangements for Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid but Awami Action activists did not allow people to offer prayers there and instead over 10,000 people offered their prayers at Khanqah-e-Moulla. Today was also the day of Urs of of Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (RA) and streams of devotees visited Khanqah-e-Moulla and offered prayers.
An official spokesman here said that congregational Friday prayers at the famous shrine were offered by 10,000 people, who had converged from different parts of the Valley. He said Friday prayers were also offered at all the mosques of the Valley. As many as 20,000 people offered prayers at Khanqah-e-Tral, 6,000 at Asar-i-Sharief, Hazratbal, 3,500 at Jama Masjids at Shopian, Pulwama and Sopore, 2,500 at Charar-i-Sharief, 1,000 each at Ahle-Hadees Masjid at Anantnag, Dastageer Sahib, Khanyar, Doru and Syed Sahib, Sonawar and about 500 each at Haji Masjid, Maisuma, Gow Kadal and TRC today.
The spokesman said that the Administration today started making arrangements for Friday prayers at Jama Masjid, Srinagar right from the morning including easing restrictions in Nowhatta area. The spokesman said the muazzin (caller of prayers) gave the Friday prayer call and people collected inside the mosque for offering prayers. However, some activists of the Awami Action Committee forced them to leave the mosque and did not allow them to offer Friday prayers, arguing that the Friday prayers shall not be held at Jama Masjid unless Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was released from house arrest.
The spokesman said that in view of the call given by Coordination Committee and the past experience of such calls, the Administration has taken some preventive measures including enforcement of prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr.PC to ensure protection of life and property of the people.
A curfew-like situation, meanwhile, prevailed in the Kashmir valley on Friday as thousands of security personnel were deployed to scuttle any attempt by separatists to hold protest rallies during the day.
Heavy deployment has been made in Srinagar and other towns of the Valley as the separatist coordination committee had called for protests after Friday prayers in support of their demand for right to self determination and against the holding of assembly elections.
The coordination committee, an amalgam of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, JKLF, trade unions, business bodies and religious groups, at a meeting yesterday asked people to observe complete shutdown after Friday prayers and hold peaceful "anti-India" and "anti-election protests".
During the meeting, president of the Kashmir high court bar association Mian Abdul Qayoom asked the people to march towards Budgam and Baramulla districts where polling is slated to take place on Sunday in the fourth phase of assembly elections.
In view of strict restrictions imposed by the security forces and a general strike called by the separatists, all shops and business establishments, government offices, banks, courts, educational institutes and other semi-government institutions remained closed, officials said.
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