Altaf Hameed Rao
MIRPUR (AJK): Mirpur district of Azad Jammu & Kashmir remained disconnected with rest of the country following the complete blockade of the main artery of Dina-Mirpur highway by hundreds of the protestors staging ‘Dharna’ (Sit-in) at Mangla Bridge, the second consecutive day on Sunday, against Saturday’s police action against the protesters camping out at Faizabad Interchange.
The round-the-clock busiest Dina-Mirpur Highway links adjoining Punjab province with this part of the liberated territory of the Himalayan State of Jammu & Kashmir. Life was almost totally paralyzed following blockade of the road-link by the TLYR activists and other religious groups, the second consecutive day who staged protest demonstrations in various parts of AJK. Hours-long parleys between local district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Ansar Yaqoob and the protesters failed on Sunday after the protesters refused to be dispersed and call off the protest.
Reiterating complete solidarity and links with the participants of Faiz-abad Sit-in, the protestors declared to continue ‘Dharna’ till the continuation of the Faiz-abad protest and arrival of the final decision about their leadership camping at Faizabad interchange bridging the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Police contingents remained alert to maintain peace and order during whole of the exercise and the overall situation remained peaceful on Sunday. Meanwhile, large number of people including the activists of various religious groups gathered at the central locations of AJK cities including Kotli, Bhimbher, Poonch, and other places to register their indignation against the operation against the occupants of Rawalpindi Islamabad-Highways at Faizabad. The protesters have been demanding early resignation of the law minister Zahid Hamid and others allegedly involved in amendment of Finality of Prophet-hood clause in the oath.
They raised slogans against the police action against participants of the Faizabad sit-in describing it uncalled for act. They declared the 20-day old ‘Dharna justified in support of the demands including the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid and unveiling the names of those behind the amendment – which was later withdrawn by the government.
Hundreds of protestors brought out a procession raising slogans of “Labaik – Ya Rasool Allah’’ (Peace Be Upon Him) and against the police action against the participants of Faizabad sit on Saturday. The procession later converged in to the ‘sit-in’ at AJK side at about middle of Mangla bridge which they said will continue for an indefinite period till the final decision by their protestant central leadership at Faizabad ‘Dharna’. No untoward incident occurred as the demonstration mostly remained peaceful.