Scores of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) workers led by party president Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday took out a protest rally in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district against the ban on the highway and cross-LoC trade between India and Pakistan.
The rally was taken out from town hall to Deputy Commissioner’s office in Pulwama. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the protest, Mehbooba sought revocation of ban on highway and cross-LoC trade.
The government bans civil traffic movement on nearly 270-km long highway from Srinagar to Udhampur on two days in a week (Sunday and Wednesday) while on Sunday the traffic restriction remains in place up to Baramulla.
The restriction on civil traffic is meant for smooth and safe passage of security convoys, a measure taken to prevent militants from carrying out any Pulwama type attack in which 40 paramilitary CRPF men were killed on 14 February.
On 19 April Union Home Ministry suspended the cross- LoC trade, stating that the routes were used for “inflow of weapons, narcotics and foreign currency”.
Mehbooba also sought revocation of ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and release of its chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik on health grounds.I
Government of India (GOI) banned the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, a politico-religious organisation, whose leaders and activists were arrested while its offices and properties of its several members were seized.
GOI also banned Yasin Malik-led JKLF, declaring it an unlawful association under the provisions of Section 3 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
