Srinagar witnessed some anxious moments on Wednesday when supporters of Masarat Alam, who was released by the state government recently, waved Pakistan flags at a rally.

Pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans were raised as hundreds of people marched through the city prompting the Bharatiya Janata Party to demand immediate action. Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju said that the state government had been asked to act against those who had broken the law.

About a month after being controversially released from a jail, separatist leader Masrat Alam was here on Wednesday booked for unlawful activities. But he was not arrested.

The release of Alam by the Mufti government had created cracks in the historic BJP-PDP alliance in the state. While the BJP said the party and the Central government were kept out of the loop, PDP reacted saying Alam was released in accordance to the court order and every day-to-day affair cannot be discussed with the BJP. Now it remains to be seen as how the new development will affect the alliance in the state.

The rally was organised to welcome Hurriyat Conference hard-line group leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. It was after a gap of five years, Jammu and Kashmir Government allowing Geelani to hold a public rally in the outskirts of the city. Alam, who was released last month soon after PDP-BJP government came to power in the state, led the march from the Srinagar Airport to Geelani's residence at Hyderpora.

- Manohar