Thousands of holiday goers arrived in Kashmir valley to enjoy the beauty of its landscapes, as violence ebbs in the Muslim-majority state wracked by insurgency since 1989.

However, an undercurrent of resentment remains as schools and some shops were shut in Srinagar in a strike called to commemorate the killing of dozens of local youth in alleged police actions during the 2008-2010 civilian unrest, called by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

In addition, hundreds of Pakistani and Indian Kashmiris staged an emotional demonstration on the opposite banks of the fast-flowing Neelum river to urge India and Pakistan to withdraw troops from the disputed Himalayan region. – Text and Photos by Agencies