SRINAGAR, ISHAM (LoC), OCTOBER 11 As thousands wept while they prayed for the quake victims, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who led special prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid today, sent the rest of India a wake-up call: ‘‘It is sad that people have not responded to this great tragedy. This was not expected. When Latur and Bhuj were ravaged, big industrialists stepped forward to help. But no one seems to be coming to our aid.’’

‘‘This is a national tragedy, a tragedy for Kashmiris on this side of the LoC and on the other side. This tragedy has not recognised the LoC. For the first time, we have been witness to such destruction, put to such a test. Thousands have died in Uri, Tangdhar, Muzaffarabad and Rawlakote,’’ he said.

As the Mirwaiz recalled scenes of devastation and demanded immediate restoration of communication links between J&K and PoK, tears rolled down cheeks of those assembled there. Outside the Grand Mosque, people offered funeral-in-absentia for those killed in Uri, Tangdhar, Muzaffarabad and elsewhere.

The Mirwaiz called for a complete shutdown on Friday as a mark of respect for those who died. ‘‘The coming Friday will be observed as a day of mourning. All shops and offices will remain closed and Hurriyat will start a door-to-door campaign to collect relief for victims,’’ he announced.

What the Mirwaiz said about India Inc and NGOs not doing enough in Kashmir’s hour of need is being repeated by people everywhere, be it Srinagar or Uri or Tangdhar.

With the government still missing in villages along the LoC, people are also beginning to notice the absence of voluntary groups. Other than the Army, which has moved at great speed to rush relief, it has been left to hundreds of young men from across the Valley to come to the aid of the affected.

Youths have been carrying sacks of rice and flour, milk powder packets, clothes, pots, water bottles and blankets for the quake survivors. Hours after the quake, young men formed village and mohalla committees to collect relief and then despatched hundreds of volunteers to the worst-hit areas. Despite torrential rains in the entire Uri region today, young men brought food and respite to the people who say they have been ‘‘abandoned’’ by the civil administration. ‘‘We are shocked. Our own government is lying to the world that they are helping us,’’ says Ali Hussain Abbassi of Isham.

‘‘We went to Uri today to complain. We heard that the Prime Minister was visiting. He would have heard us but the police didn’t let us speak to our own ministers and chased us away,’’ he said.

In Dardkote, Mohammad Akbar Mir is angry with the state government. ‘‘Do you think they don’t know that nothing has reached us? There are 100 villages in Uri, almost 90 are hit. They could have sent five-six police battalions with rations. If these young volunteers can reach us, why can’t the government? There wouldn’t have been a single hungry person here,’’ he says.