Preview ahead of elections in Jammu and Kashmir

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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1. Various of rally by National Conference ahead of elections in Jammu-Kashmir state, with supporters riding on trucks, chanting and beating drums, and armed security officers 2. National Conference candidate Mushtaq Ahmad Lone (killed on 11 September 2002 in an attack by Islamic militants) filing nomination to contest election 3. Closer on Lone 4. Mid shot of election officer 5. Nomination papers being sorted 6. SOUNDBITE (English and Urdu) Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, National Conference candidate "(English) Greater autonomy is the unfinished agenda of the National Conference. (Urdu) And we have always fought this battle for regional autonomy within the parameters of the Indian constitution." 7. Local woman mourning death of her husband 8. Police officers showing dead body of National Conference party worker, killed by suspected Islamic militants opposing the election 9. Close-up of body 10. Massed supporters of former militant Kukka Parrey chanting at election rally 11. Traditional headgear and garlands being placed on Kukka Parrey on podium at election rally 12. Various of crowd chanting 13. Reverse shot of Parrey waving to crowd 14. Supporters of Awami National Conference riding on bus 15. SOUNDBITE (English/Urdu) G. M. Shah, Awami National Conference "(English) No government can give you free elections (Urdu) till the time the proxy war continues. Wipe out the gun culture and the elections will be free." 16. Various of police officers clashing with and confiscating banners from Congress party protesters demanding imposition of federal rule in Kashmir before elections 17. US delegation meeting separatist Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Omar Farooq 18. Omar Farooq (left of shot) in conversation with Liza Curtis, senior adviser to US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs 19. Curtis 20. Meeting 21. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, Hurriyat Conference leader "Hurriyat Conference is not against participation in the elections, provided there is an assurance on the purpose of these elections. It should not just be for governing the state but to help in the resolution of the Kashmir problem. Then it can be discussed. We want such assurances." 22. Curtis with Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front leader Javed Mir (right of shot) 23. SOUNDBITE (English) Liza Curtis, senior adviser to US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs "We see that the elections could be a part of a larger political process that could begin to address the problems here in Kashmir. And we would very much encourage everybody to do everything they can to try to take advantage of the opportunity that is before them." 24. Various of voter identity cards being prepared STORYLINE: Voters in India's Jammu-Kashmir state go to polls on September 16 to chose a new legislature in the first phase of an election that could determine prospects for future peace in this violence-wracked region. It's a contest being fought under the shadow of the gun, with nearly 32-thousand paramilitary soldiers being deployed across Indian-controlled areas of the divided Himalayan province to prevent bloodshed. Islamic militants stepped up attacks on pro-India political workers in recent weeks in an attempt to frighten candidates and voters away from the polls. The ruling pro-India National Conference party is contesting most of the seats and hopes to woo voters with its promise of greater autonomy for Kashmir. But candidates are standing at great personal risk. On Wednesday, state Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone became the latest of dozens of National Conference activists to be targetted - he was gunned down as he addressed a campaign rally in a high school courtyard. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7c4e614d8e3c7dfea057e1e0f053da0d Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork