Four killed including a separatist leader in firing in Kashmir

A prominent Hurriyat leader was killed in police firing which claimed a total of four lives on Monday. Curfew was quickly imposed in the state capital afterwards.
Earlier a protest march was staged by the separatists in an attempt to cross the Line of Control into POK . The protestors against the "economic blockade" in Jammu turned violent and the state police resorted to fire.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz (60), who joined thousands of marchers on the highway linking Srinagar to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, died at a hospital here. He was critically injured in police firing at Chahal village in Baramulla district. Doctors said the separatist leader died due to excessive blood loss.
Curfew was first imposed in Srinagar city but later clamped in the entire district after authorities feared trouble over the death of Aziz.

Additional forces to thwart march to Muzaffarabad

Additional forces would be pressed to thwart the march to Muzaffarabad as planned and supported by the separatists in Kashmir. This was also indicated by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who concluded his two-day visit along with the all-party delegation.
Sources said the deployment of police and paramilitary personnel had been increased in north Kashmir. Some separatist leaders have also been placed under house arrest.

PDP to join march to Muzaffarabad

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will join a march to Muzaffarabad in Pak Occupied Kashmir, planned by the Valley’s Fruit Growers Association.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the party workers and sympathizers would be led by senior leaders Abdul Aziz Zargar and Mohammad Dilawar Mir. She also demanded urgent opening of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Road for passenger and goods traffic.
Mehbooba claimed that the economic blockade against Kashmiris only underscored the importance of this vital road for “our economic survival.”

Separatists plan march to POK

The separatists in Kashmir valley today threatened to go to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to sell their produce. They said, "Our fruit is rotting due to economic blockade of the valley by Jammu agitators.
We are forced to find alternative route to take our fruits to various markets. Possibly through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road," chairman of hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani told reporters here. Geelani, speaking after two-day long parleys among various separatist groups, traders, manufacturers, fruit growers and transporters, said it was decided at the coordination committee meeting that fruit growers will proceed to Muzaffarabad on August 11.