Peace march in AJK's Sudhnoti demands early elections, end to blockades

MUZAFFARABAD: A large number of people from different walks of life took part in a peace march on Monday in Palandri, the district headquarters of Sudhnoti in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), calling for an end to unrest and blockades and immediate elections in seven constituencies of Poonch and Sudhnoti.

Recent elections in the region, originally scheduled for July 27, were held in phases over security concerns amid unrest in the region. The first phase was held on July 27, the second on Aug 2 and the third on Aug 10.

Organised by the Public Alliance Forum Sudhnoti, the march began at Kotli Chowk and passed through various streets before culminating in a public gathering at Kutchery Chowk.

The participants carried AJK and Pakistani flags, with banners bearing slogans such as “This homeland is ours, we are its guardians”, “Unrest in the state is unacceptable”, “Lawlessness in the state is unacceptable” and “What do we want? Peace!”

Representatives of the PML-N, PPP, Muslim Conference, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party, Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party and PTI, alongside traders, lawyers, transporters, civil society representatives, educationists and ex-servicemen, addressed the gathering.

In a joint declaration, the participants urged the governments of Pakistan and AJK to immediately hold elections in the seven constituencies of Poonch and Sudhnoti where polling could not take place during the recent AJK elections due to the law and order situation.

They also called for the immediate removal of blockades by both the government and protesters, whether inside AJK or at entry points into Pakistan, to ease the public’s difficulties in travelling and obtaining essential goods.

The participants additionally demanded the restoration of travel and educational facilities, particularly in Sudhnoti and Poonch; the immediate restoration of internet services across AJK; and uninterrupted supplies of food and other essential commodities from Pakistan. They said restrictions on the movement of these goods had compounded the difficulties faced by the people.

It also called for adequate supplies of wheat to flour mills to ensure the regular distribution of flour, uninterrupted availability of petrol and hassle-free processing of documents required by people travelling abroad.

Participants also expressed concern over rumours of the possible relocation of educational and administrative institutions from Rawalakot. They demanded that the “endless sacrifices” made by the “brave, courageous and patriotic people” of the region for the Kashmir freedom movement and the “completion of Pakistan” should not be overlooked, urging the authorities to avoid any such step.

It reiterated that no one could weaken the “everlasting bond” between Kashmiris and Pakistan and that a strong and stable Pakistan was the guarantor of the freedom movement, while AJK served as a “strong defence shield” for Pakistan.

“Promoting instability in the region will not be allowed,” the participants declared.

The peace march also congratulated the government of Pakistan and the armed forces for what it described as their role in promoting global peace.

The PML-N’s Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani was elected as AJK PM after being sworn in last Friday. His sole contender was PPP’s Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi, who bagged 14 votes in the contest for the top office.

The third phase of polling was originally meant to cover all of Poonch Division, which comprises 11 constituencies, including three in Bagh, one in Haveli, five in Poonch district and two in Sudhnoti district.

The AJK Election Commission announced that polling would only go ahead as scheduled in Bagh and Haveli because of concerns over the law and order situation.

In the direct elections to 38 constituencies, the PML-N secured 25 seats while the PPP won 12. The lone MLA-elect of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu party also joined hands with the PML-N. As for the reserved seats, the PML-N bagged six and the PPP two.

The PPP alleged widespread rigging and irregularities in the elections.