J&K CM Mehbooba chairs all-party meeting to discuss prevailing situation; Curfew lifted in 4 districts
SRINAGAR: In Jammu and Kashmir, an All-Party Meeting convened by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is underway in Srinagar today to review the situation in the violence-hit Valley and find a way out of the unrest.Main opposition National Conference is not participating in the meeting. The party had yesterday announced its decision to boycott it.It blamed actions in the recent past have shown that there was no “effective leadership” in the state government.
Mehbooba chaired the meeting, which was also attended by several ministers including deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, leaders from opposition Congress, independent MLAs and leaders of other political parties in the state.The meeting was convened to build a consensus on the measures to be taken for restoring normalcy in the Valley which has erupted into violent protests after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander .
Meanwhile, authorities lifted curfew in four districts of Kashmir where schools were scheduled to reopen today .However the ban on movement of people continued in the rest of the six districts of the Valley as a precautionary measure.A police official said curfew has been lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts of the Valley but restrictions on the assembly of people under Section 144 CrPC continue in these districts as a precautionary measure.
He said the curfew was lifted in order to facilitate the reopening of the schools in these areas. The government yesterday modified its earlier order and announced opening of schools in these four districts from today.Meanwhile, curfew continued in the remaining six districts of the Valley.Meanwhile,Local newspapers in Kashmir Valley were today back on the stands after five days, a day after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met editors and owners of city-based newspapers .
Most of the local newspapers, including those papers which alleged a clampdown by the government, were published today as the newspaper distributors and hawkers returned to their business.
