Srinagar, July 3: People across Kashmir Valley were anxiously waiting on Saturday for Hurriyats to announce their future course of action. They seemed least bothered about whether curfew would continue and what the government would decide.
The phone lines of Greater Kashmir office remained busy as the callers from north, south and central Kashmir had only one query: “What next?”
Late in the evening Hurriyats announced the much awaited “timetable” enabling scribes to respond to queries of the frantic callers.
 If sources are to be believed, entire government machinery was also waiting for Hurriyats to announce the programme. “After the timetable was out deputy commissioners and superintendents of police convened an emergency meeting to review the situation,” sources said.
 They said the officials deliberated upon whether to continue with the curfew in the violence-hit areas or not. “The Hurriyat timetable has added to the government’s dilemma about whether to lift the curfew and restrictions for one-day or not, as from Monday onwards authorities will have to chalk out a new strategy to deal with the new protest programme,” sources added.
 However, the Inspector General of Police-Kashmir zone, Farooq Ahmed, said that normalcy had been restored in most parts of the Valley and curfew had been already lifted. “Only 3 police stations in old city and Islamabad town in south Kashmir are under curfew,” the IGP said.
 Despite Hurriyat programme being talk of the town, senior National Conference leader and Law Minister, Ali Muhammad Sagar, refused to acknowledge that separatists were calling shots in the Valley. “Our debate is not about who is calling shots, the fact is that common man is suffering and he is at the receiving end,” Sagar said.
 Asked how government would respond to the fresh protest programme, he said, “The Chief Minister is holding deliberations with his cabinet colleagues and the senior officials. Our first concern is to safeguard the human lives and prevent bloodshed,” he added.
 Pertinently, most separatist leaders including the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Yasin Malik and others were detained last month. While others including the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had been placed under house arrest.
 To evade arrest, the General Secretary of Hurriyat Conference (G), Masrat Alam Bhat, has gone underground after announcing “Quit Kashmir Movement” last month.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 3 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 3 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 4 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST