Srinagar, October 07, 2018 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, complete shutdown will be observed in occupied Kashmir, tomorrow, to register protest against the holding of the so-called municipal and panchayat polls in the territory. Call for the shutdown has been given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik and supported by other organizations including the High Court Bar Association. The four-phase polls for the local bodies in occupied Kashmir would be held on 8th, 10th, 13th and 16th of this month.
The authorities have placed many Hurriyat leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, Hakeem Abdul Rasheed, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Muhammad Yasin Attai and Syed Imtiaz Haider besides several activists under house arrest or in detention to prevent them from conducting campaign for boycott of the farcical polls in the territory.
Various Sikh bodies including Sikh Intellectuals Circle, International Sikh Federation and Sikh Students Federation in a statement have already announced the boycott of the elections. Meanwhile, curfew-like restrictions have been imposed in the territory ahead of the first phase of farcical local bodies election on Monday. Indian army, police and paramilitary forces have been ordered to remain extra vigilant.
Since the last few days, forces have intensified frisking at many locations particularly in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley. They have also established mobile check points, where checking of cars, motorcycles and commuters is being conducted. “The security grid comprising police and CRPF has been asked to be extra alert,” said a senior police officer. “The general alert has been sounded all across Kashmir. We are taking extreme precautions,” said another top officer.
Over 400 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in Kashmir for the election duty. Among them, many companies are securing the government quarters, hotels and Dak Bungalows in Kashmir where poll candidates have been shifted in the name of safety. “Almost all additional paramilitary force companies have arrived in Valley while some are on the way. The additional forces have been deployed in all districts of Kashmir,” said an officer.
On the other hand, the authorities suspended mobile internet services in south Kashmir. The districts stayed offline to curb circulation of resignations posted by policemen on social media platforms, media reports said.
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