Srinagar, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir was enveloped in a shutdown today, with citizens protesting against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region, which remains a central point of dispute between India and Pakistan.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference initiated the call for the shutdown, which garnered widespread support from Hurriyat leaders and organizations. In response, the authorities imposed stringent restrictions throughout Srinagar and the surrounding areas, which saw sparse traffic as security measures intensified, transforming the city into a virtual ‘Red Zone.’
Checkpoints proliferated across the Kashmir Valley, with additional Indian troops deployed strategically around Srinagar, particularly near Bakshi Stadium, where Modi’s rally was scheduled. Surveillance measures, including drone monitoring and CCTV, were implemented to oversee public movement. In the days leading up to the visit, several Kashmiri youths were detained during widespread raids and search operations.
National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah criticized the coercive measures reportedly used to ensure attendance at Modi’s rally. He publicized a document on social media that purportedly listed government employees mandated to arrive at the venue before dawn amid cold weather conditions. Abdullah’s statement also claimed that local schools had been instructed to allocate buses for transporting these employees.
In Muzaffarabad, a protest rally at the Press Club articulated opposition to Modi’s presence in the contested territory. The rally, organized by Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, echoed the sentiment against India’s control of the region.
The human rights situation in the disputed territory has also attracted international concern. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed grave worries, and Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Bilal Ahmad, urged India to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and the Human Rights Council’s recommendations on Kashmir during a session in Geneva.