J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

A group of 9 Kashmiri militants, recruited by pro-Pakistani Tehreek-ul-Muhahideen, in the custody of Border Security Force in Srinagar on Friday. — PTI

Shabir Shah, six others arrested
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Feb 11 — Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was taken into preventive custody along with six of his associates, while they were trying to take out a procession to the office of the UN Military Observers Group from Rajbagh here today.

The procession was being taken out to mark the 16th death anniversary of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, founder leader of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), who was hanged on this day in 1984 in Tihar Jail.

Shabir Shah, chief of the J&K Democratic Freedom Party earlier took out a procession from the office of the party at Rajbagh along with his colleagues. The police prevented them from taking out the procession. He was scheduled to submit a memorandum at the office seeking UN intervention in Kashmir and "solution of Kashmir issue" under the UN resolutions and in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

Normal life was paralysed here and in most parts of the valley in response to the call of the APHC and other organisations. All shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the roads. Only skeletal transport plied in the civil lines area. There was thin attendance in government offices as the employees could not reach due to the lack of transport on the roads.

Report from other parts of the valley revealed that normal life was affected in major towns, including Anantnag, Pulwama, Kupwara, Sopore, Handwara and Budgam. There was thin attendance in government offices. There was no transport on the roads. However, the police here said that inter-district transport plied near normal.

The JKLF, which is a constituent of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference and other separatist organisations paid tributes to the founder JKLF leader. Special prayers were offered to commemorate the JKLF founder leader.