SRINAGAR: Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called shutdown in Kashmir on Thursday and the rest of polling days.
“JRL has called for a complete shutdown on Thursday the 11th April 2019,” said a JRL statement.
It said the shutdown has been called against the parliamentary elections, the first phase of which starts tomorrow.
The statement said that the shutdown has also been called against “NIA aggression which includes the shifting of JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik to Tihar jail Delhi under the pretext of questioning by NIA, rigorous questioning of Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq at NIA headquarters in Delhi that has continued for three days now, sustained interrogation and repeated summoning of two sons of senior veteran leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani namely Naeem-uz-Zafar Geelani and Naseem Geelani to Delhi by NIA.”
The shutdown, according to the statement, will also be observed against the closure of Kashmir’s main highway for civilians for two days in a week and “recent attack by police and forces” on inmates at central jail Srinagar.
While appealing people to stay away from the polls, JRL said: “…besides a complete shutdown across the valley on 11th April, protest shutdown will be observed on 18th April, 2019 in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts, on 23rd April, 2019 in Islamabad, on 29th April, 2019 in Islamabad and Kulgam and on 6th May, 2019 in Islamabad, Shupian and Pulwama areas.”