Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen have asked all Kashmiris to stay away from rallies of all pro-India politicians, due to the increasing activities of mainstream political parties in the Kashmir Valley. Addressing a gathering in Pulwama district on April 18, Geelani stated the NC, PDP or any other ‘pro-India party’ only justified “India's military occupation in Jammu & Kashmir."

In a statement faxed to Srinagar-based news agency KNS, the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen spokesman, Jameel Ahmed, asked the Kashmiris not to get trapped in the gimmicks of "green handkerchief and Pakistani salt." He asserted that "freedom" was around the corner and participation of the Kashmiri people would only take away the goal of Azadi from them1.

Meanwhile, the former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, while addressing a rally in Rajouri district on April 12, has favoured the use of both Indian and Pakistani currencies in Jammu and Kashmir, “like Europe which has one currency2.” New Delhi however dismissed Sayeed's suggestion and termed it an "impractical" and a "hypothetical" suggestion3.

• 1. “Geelani, Jamiat ask Kashmiris to stay away from mainstream political rallies,” Daily Excelsior, April 19, 2008 at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/08apr19/news.htm#5
• 2. “Mufti says allow Pak currency in Kashmir,” Indian Express, April 15, 2008 at http://www.indianexpress.com/story/296886.html
• 3. “Impractical, says Delhi,” Kashmir Times, April 16, 2008 at http://kashmirtimes.com/main.htm