Srinagar, Dec 11 (IANS) Life was affected across the summer capital Srinagar Friday following a shutdown called by hardline senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani.

Shops, businesses and educational institutions in both the old and uptown areas of the city remained closed. Attendance in banks and government offices was adversely hit as most public transport went off the roads.

Private transport, however, plied on many city roads while some skeletal public transport operated in the city's peripheral areas.

Geelani is to address a Friday congregation in the old city here.

Authorities have made strict arrangements to ensure that no law and order problem occurs in the city even though Geelani has said that the strike is part of his 'peaceful, resistance programme'.

Meanwhile, there has been a remarkable improvement in the condition of pro-dialogue moderate separatist leader Fazal Haq Qureshi who was shot here Dec 4 by separatist guerrillas. He had been battling for life in the Sher-e-Kashmir Medical Institute Soura (SKIMS).

'He is recovering and we are satisfied with the progress he has been making,' a doctor said.