Srinagar-Jammu highway closed over separatists’ protest call

The chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and JKLF chief Yasin Malik – had asked people to reach Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district in large numbers today to pay tributes to the slain militants.

By: PTI

Srinagar | May 30, 2017 04:25 PM IST

2 min read

kashmir, kashmir unrest, independence day, kashmir independence, BJP kashmir, JKSC, RSS kashmir, muslim kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, Supreme Court, Article 35-A, indian express news, opinion

In seeking to relitigate Article 35-A, the Sangh Parivar is taking aim at J&K’s special status and Article 370, which ties Muslim-majority Kashmir to the Indian Union.

The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed for traffic today in view of the separatists’ call for a march to Tral to pay tributes to Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat and his colleague, who were killed in an encounter with security forces recently. The chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and JKLF chief Yasin Malik – had asked people to reach Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district in large numbers today to pay tributes to the slain militants.

“The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has been closed and no movement of any sort of traffic on either side is being allowed,” an official of the traffic department said here. He said the decision to close the nearly 300-km highway – the only all-weather road connecting the Valley with the rest of the country – was taken in view of the prevailing situation as the roadway passes through south Kashmir.

Mughal Road, also in south Kashmir, which passes through Shopian and is an alternate fair-weather roadway connecting Jammu with the Valley, has also been closed for traffic from Bafliaz towards Srinagar, the official said. He said Srinagar-bound vehicles on Kargil-Sonamarg road were also being restricted due to the prevailing circumstances.

From the homepage