Muzaffarabad, (Parliament Times) : In Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bagh, Mirpur, Kotli, and Pallandri, the shutter-down and wheel-jam strike led by the Awami Action Committee continued for the second consecutive day, while mobile internet services remained suspended for the third day. Entry points including Azad Pattan, Dhan Gali, Dadyal, and Holar were closed, and the Kohala entry point was also sealed by the administration using barriers.
In Muzaffarabad, tensions escalated as police and protesters from the Action Committee came face-to-face. The police resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse the demonstrators, while the Action Committee announced a long march towards Muzaffarabad today, Wednesday.
According to details, the strike call by the Awami Action Committee gained momentum across Azad Kashmir, drawing large crowds to the protests. In Dhan Gali, Dadyal, protesters removed containers from the bridge and threw them into the river, staging a sit-in to block the entry point. Protesters from Pallandri, Mang, and other areas burned tires to seal off access to Azad Kashmir via the Azad Pattan bridge. In Mirpur, caravans from the Action Committee staged a sit-in at the Mangla entry point.
The convoy from Bagh, blocked on its regular route, proceeded via Dhirkot instead. Although police and protesters confronted each other along the way, no untoward incident occurred. In Muzaffarabad, however, there were direct clashes with police using tear gas, and protesters responding with stone-pelting.
Speaking to protesters in Rawalakot, Umar Nazir Kashmiri announced a long march towards Muzaffarabad for today (Wednesday). He urged the people of the region to come out of their homes and participate in the march with full force. “We must remain steadfast in these sit-ins. Do not pay attention to rumors. We are peaceful. We have no weapons or explosives—only sincerity, patience, prayers, and complete faith in Allah,” he said.
He emphasized that the lockdown would continue and there would be no return without the fulfillment of their demands. “Make full preparations,” he added. “The time for the rulers’ luxuries is over. We will not compromise on our demands.”
He welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for dialogue but stated that any negotiations would only be possible if the deployed security forces are withdrawn and telecom services restored. “No talks can happen until the 30-member core committee holds internal consultations,” he said. Restoration of mobile and internet services is a prerequisite for negotiations.
Meanwhile, Minister for Local Government and member of the negotiation team, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, along with Ministers Qasim Majeed and Dewan Ali Chughtai, once again invited the Action Committee leaders to the negotiating table. They stated, “Lockdowns are Modi’s method. Dialogue is the only solution to the issues. Disrupting daily life is not acceptable in any case.”
