“Educational Institutions closed till Friday”
MIRPUR (AJK): (Parliament Times) Massive street agitations sparked in all small and major towns of Azad Kashmir soon after spreading of the news about the acquittal of a Christian lady – Aasia Maseeh by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday in a famous blasphemy case accepting her appeal.
AJK government has announced to close down all private and public sector educational institutions across the State on Friday – today – as a part of preventive measures to maintain law and order situation throughout the liberated territory, official sources told out AJK Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao on Thursday.
Life was partially paralyzed across Azad Jammu Kashmir as the State was virtually dislinked from Pakistan by traditional / historical road links following the complete blockage of almost all the entering points leading to all major cities including the capital town of Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimbher and Rawalakot, Palandari by thousands of protesters who staged sit-ins (dharna) at the major entry points including Mangla, Palaak, and Kohala bridges, Holar, Garhi Habib Ullah, Dheerkot, Azad Pattan and Gujrat-Bhimbher highways, to register their extreme indignation over the decision by the apex court of Pakistan of freeing the Christian lady, accepting her appeal, in the blasphemy case, who had earlier been convicted and awarded capital punishment by the subordinate courts.
The protestors, belonging to various sects of the Muslims, raised slogans against the decision besides delivering fiery speeches demanding immediate withdrawal of the above verdict by the apex court of Pakistan. They vowed to continue the protest demonstrations across AJK till the acceptance of their above demand besides expressing complete solidarity with the country-wide protests against the SC’s verdict across Pakistan.
All private and public sector educational institutions were closed for next two days in Mirpur district, besides other parts of AJK following the continued suspension of the routes leading to the major cities of AJK – besides as a security measures to avert the threat of any eventuality.
Thousands of the commuters are lying stranded in various AJK cities following suspension of the private and public transport on their stipulated routes due to the closure of the major and link roads leading to various cities of AJK for an indefinite period.
National newspapers appearing from Lahore and Islamabad could not reach AJK on Thursday following suspension of the transport since Wednesday morning.
Addressing a protest rally at central shaheed chowk in Mirpur on Thursday speakers including leading Ulema and Muslim religious scholars announced to observe black day on Friday – Nov. 2 in Mirpur district besides rest of AJK to mark extreme indignation and resentment against the acquittal of the Christian Aasia Bi Bi in the blasphemy case by the apex court of the country.
Call for the separate street agitations, after Jumma (Friday) Prayer, has been given by various political, religious, social, lawyers, students, traders and other organization representing diverse segments of the Civil Society to register severe indignation and protest against the verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan acquitting the convicted Christian lady from the charges of blasphemy by accepting her appeal.
In Mirpur, a large number of people will throng in various city streets soon after Jumma prayers – today (Nov. 2) to join the protest rallies at central shaheed chowk to be organised by AJK chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami, Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, Markazi Milad Committee, Islami Jammiat-e-Tuleba at central shaheed chowkto mark their severe indignation against the SC’s verdict. Organizers announced here on Thursday.
Following decision of the Ajk Government, Mirpur district administration has announced holiday in all private and public sector schools and colleges in Mirpur district on Friday (Nov. 2) as a security measures in view of partially abnormal situation in the district following protests in various parts of the district since the landing the SC’s verdict in the famous case of blasphemy.