Traders calls for valley-wide bandh today

Srinagar, Feb 16: While threatening to boycott trade with Jammu, trade bodies in Kashmir on Saturday called for a shutdown on Sunday against the incidents of miscreants attacking Kashmiris in the winter capital.

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCC&I) and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Association (KTMF) held a joint protest at Press Enclave.

Addressing media persons, president, KCC&I Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad urged the government to bring the situation to normal.“The atrocities on innocent people in Jammu should stop. We should not be forced to boycott trade with Jammu,” he said.

The trade bodies also observed a shutdown after 3 pm in city centre Lal Chowk and adjoining areas to protests attacks on Kashmiris in Jammu and outside the state.

Pertinently, curfew continued to remain in place in Jammu where dozens of vehicles belonging to Kashmiris were torch by a mob since Friday in reaction to the bombing attack on Thursday which killed 49 CRPF troopers on the highway near Lethpora.

“We would not tolerate the ill treatment meted to our elders, students and others. Kashmiris have always strengthened the pillars of communal harmony,” said president KTMF, Mohammad Sadiq Baqal.

J&K High Court Bar Association Srinagar too held a protest march at Saddar Court here, condemning the attacks on Kashmiris.

The Bar Association appealed to the International Community including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Asia Watch, other human rights organizations of the world and members of Indian Civil Society to come to the rescue of the people of Kashmir.

They appealed them to save Kashmiris from the brutalities being inflicted on them by the “ruthless communal and fanatic forces of Jammu and other places of India.”

In order to show solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren, the Bar Association also decided to support the Kashmir Bandh call issued by Kashmir Traders Federation for 17 February.