APHC strike call affects life in valley
Tribune News Service
SRINAGAR, Feb 20 — Life was paralysed in the city today following a protest against the meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan for talks on various issues "including Kashmir without the participation of Kashmiris". The call for the protest was given by the all-party Hurriyat Conference

Most shops and business establishments in the capital remained closed and bus service was skeletal. However, there was no impact of the call on inter-district transport. Education institutions, including the University of Kashmir, remained closed. Some government offices and banks in the city were also closed, the police said. All shops and business establishments in the Civil Lines area here remained closed.

According to reports from major town of the valley, there was no impact of the bandh call in Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam and Pulwams. A partial response to the call was reported from Sopore. All government offices, hospitals and banks in other towns functioned normally.

A spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference said that India had failed to provide "a serious and meaningful endeavour to resolve the basic issue of Kashmir" that had created tension between India and Pakistan.

Reiterating the Hurriyat's stand on the participation of Kashmiris in any talks "between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue", the spokesman said the meeting between Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Nawaz Sharief without the Kashmiris was a "futile exercise".

"The Hurriyat Conference wants to make it clear to the international community that since the key to peace and prosperity is in the resolution of Kashmir issue, the principal party to the issue, that is the Kashmiri people, should be allowed to participate at all levels in these negotiations," the spokesman stated.