Curfew and restrictions continued for the 50th day across the Kashmir Valley on Saturday with no let up in separatist-called shutdown as the death toll rose to 71 after the body of a man, allegedly chased by security forces during a stone-pelting protest a day ago, was fished out from Jhelum river.

Residents said the body of Shahnawaz Khan, 24, was retrieved from the river near Sangam village in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara area – the home town of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Khan, of Dadoo Marhama also in Bijbehara, was one of three men who had jumped in the Jhelum to escape from being caught by police and security forces chasing protesters on Friday evening, the residents claimed.

The other two are believed to have swum across safely.

A CRPF spokesperson told the media here that the security forces were “supposed to chase (protesters) when there is a stone-pelting mob”.

He said nobody was pushed into the river. “They jumped on their own and it is for them to see whether they could swim or not.”

A large number of mourners on Saturday blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway squatting on the road with Khan’s body, shouting anti-government and pro-freedom slogans.

Saturday marked the 50th day of curfew and shutdown that have crippled normal life across Kashmir.

All education institutes, shops, transport and other businesses have not opened in seven weeks. Some markets have been functioning in the interiors of Srinagar and other cities and towns for a few hours in the evenings.

The youth’s death in Bijbehra took the toll to 71 in the unending cycle of violence triggered by the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

Over 11,000 persons—including 7,000 civilians and 4,000 security personnel—have been injured in the deadliest unrest the Kashmir Valley has seen in six years.

Police said the curfew would continue on Saturday in parts of Srinagar and other areas of north and south Kashmir. Restriction on the assembly of four or more persons will remain in force in the rest of the valley, a police officer said.

Separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained on Friday when they defied restrictions and came out to join a separatist-called march in the city which was foiled by the security forces.

While Geelani was released, official sources said the Mirwaiz has been arrested and lodged in a a jail.

The government blames separatist leaders for provoking youth to protest and attack security forces and their camps and pickets with stones.

Suspected militants killed a police constable, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, in a south Kashmir village on Saturday morning when he was leaving for duty.

A police spokesman said the cop was leaving for District Police Lines in Pulwama when unidentfied gunmen shot him dead from close range.

Mehbooba blames Pakistan, but says Modi to solve it (IANS from New Delhi)

Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday slammed Pakistan and separatist leaders for fuelling unrest in Jammu and Kashmir and hoped that a “very concerned” Prime Minister Narendra Modi would get the troubled state out of the deadly turmoil that has left over 70 dead and crippled life in the valley for 50 days.

Mehbooba met Modi at his 7, Race Course residence during which the two discussed the Kashmir situation as well as ways out of the ongoing unrest.

The violence has caused a “deep pain” to the prime minister, the chief minister told reporters outside Modi’s residence.

“The prime minister is very concerned and is as hurt as we are with the deaths in Kashmir,” she said.

She directly blamed Pakistan for inciting the violence and said Kashmiri youth were attacking security forces and police stations after being provoked to do so.

“I want to tell Pakistan, if it has any sympathy for Kashmiris, it should stop provoking them to attack police stations—and save youth from being killed.”

This is the first time that Mehbooba, previously known for her soft corner for Pakistan and separatists when in opposition, has directly blamed Islamabad for the Kashmir trouble.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader said Pakistan lost a “golden chance” to resolve the Kashmir problem when Modi went to Lahore in December last and later home minister Rajnath Singh early this month visited Islamabad for a Saarc conference.

“It is time for Pakistan to respond (to India) if it wants peace in Kashmir,” she said.

The meeting was her first with Modi since the unrest began after the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

The death of the 22-year-old social media savvy militant, largely blamed for reviving separatist sentiments in the valley, triggered a wave of stone-pelting protests. Over 11,000 persons—including 7,000 civilians and 4,000 security personnel—have been injured in the deadliest unrest the valley has seen in six years.

Mehbooba favoured talks “with all stakeholders” to solve the Kashmir issue but asked separatist leaders to shun violence.

“They (the separatists) have to decide if they want to talk. On one side, you tell youth to attack security forces and army camps… Talks should be held with those who want peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. For others, it is a business. Those who provoke people and cause bloodshed don’t want talks.”

She rejected a separatist notion that the United Nations can solve the Kashmir problem.

The PDP leader reminded separatist leaders how Pakistan’s former military dictator Pervez Musharraf had said the dispute would be solved by taking into consideration the aspirations of the people of India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir.

When not in office, Mehbooba and her PDP were vocal about Musharraf’s four-point formula for Kashmir. That included no change in borders, phased demilitarisation, self-governance and joint supervision by Islamabad and New Delhi for both sides of the state divided between India and Pakistan. The PDP’s much touted self-rule formula is in line with the Musharraf plan floated in 2006.

The chief minister said the “Indian democracy has enough space to accommodate dreams of Kashmiris”.

“If Modi wants, and he of course wants, the Kashmir issue will be solved… Modi ji has a majority and if during his time, the situation doesn’t change then it will never change. I have high hopes from the Prime Minister.”

She made a passionate appeal to Kashmiri protesters for peace and sought “one chance” to get the Kashmir issue solved.

“These are the same youth and kids who would accompany me in my public rallies. Give me a chance I will get it (Kashmir issue) solved. It has not been only two months since I have taken over the government and ‘itna bada bawaal aagaya’ (such a big problem erupted),” the first woman Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, referring to the turmoil.

Her remarks came as protesters on Saturday blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway squatting on the road with the body of a youth who drowned after jumping into the Jhelum river to escape chasing security forces on Friday evening.

The body of Shahnawaz Khan, 24, was retrieved from the river near Sangam village in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara area – the home town of Mehbooba Mufti.

The death took the toll to 71 as the unrest continued for the 50th day on Saturday.

Sharif appoints special envoys to highlight Kashmir issue (IANS from Islamabad)

Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday nominated 22 parliamentarians as special envoys to highlight “the Indian brutalities and human rights abuses” in Jammu and Kashmir in key parts of the world.

“I have decided to send these parliamentarians for fighting the Kashmir cause in different parts of the World. These special envoys have strength of the people of Pakistan, prayers from the Kashmiri people across the Line of Control, mandate of the Parliament and support from the government”, the prime minister said in a statement.

“I am standing behind these special envoys to ensure their toil for highlighting the Kashmir Cause resonates across the world so that I can shake the collective conscience of the international community during my address at the UN this September”, he added.

Sharif stated that Pakistan will remind the United Nations of its long-held promise of self determination to the Kashmiri people and make it clear to India that it was India that approached the bloc several decades back on the issue but not fulfilling its promise.

The Kashmir issue is the most persistent failure of the UN, he said.

Sharif reiterated that Pakistan cannot relent from the Kashmir cause by any stretch of imagination.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under curfew and restrictions since protests broke out over the killing of Hizbul Mujahdeen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 in an encounter with security forces.

At least 70 civilians have died in clashes between protesters and security forces and thousands injured in the worst violence to hit the Valley in many years.