Kashmir: Separatists call for strike against ID cards for West Pakistan Refugees

Srinagar: Normal life was affected in Kashmir Valley on Friday due to a strike called by separatists against the issuance of identity certificates to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs). [caption id=“attachment_3180732” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments in Srinagar — the summer capital of the state — were shut, while public transport was minimal, officials said. They said there were very few street vendors visible in the city today due to the strike. Reports of shutdown were also received from most of the other district headquarters of the Valley, the officials said. Security forces were deployed in strength at sensitive places where barricades were also erected. The separatists have also been calling for shutdown on Friday and Saturday every week after scaling down their agitation which followed the killing of Hizbul Mujahdeen militant Burhan Wani. The more than five-month unrest in the Valley had left 86 people dead and thousands others, including 5,000 security personnel, injured. The separatist groups — both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF — on Thursday appealed the people to observe a complete shutdown on Friday and Saturday over WPR issue. They alleged that the decision on issuance of identity certificates to WPR was aimed at changing the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.