Mehbooba convenes all-party meet, curfew lifted in 4 districts

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 districts of the Valley but restrictions on the assembly of people under Section 144 CrPC continue in these districts as a precautionary measure. The government on Wednesday had modified its earlier order and announced opening of schools in these four districts.

Meanwhile,Local newspapers in Kashmir Valley were on Thursday 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 on Thursday as the newspaper distributors and hawkers returned to their business.

An All-Party Meeting was also convened by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar on Thursday to review the situation in the violence-hit Valley and find a way out of the unrest. Main opposition National Conference did not participate in the meeting. 

The party had on Wednesday announced its decision to boycott it. It said that actions in the recent past had shown that there was no “effective leadership” in the state government.

The meeting was chaired by CM Mehbooba, 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.