ISLAMABAD: In occupied Kashmir, drivers hailing from the Kashmir Valley operating on Srinagar-Jammu highway held a protest at the Press Enclave in Srinagar against assaults on their colleagues by Hindu fanatics in Jammu.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the drivers raised slogans against the occupation authorities, saying that the authorities did nothing to safeguard their colleagues in Jammu.
The protesting drivers said that time and again when anything happens in or outside the Kashmir Valley, they are made the first targets.
They said that many drivers were injured and their vehicles were damaged or torched in Jammu. “We are poor and we have bought these vehicles on Bank loans, how are we supposed to feed our families with our livelihood and life at stake,” they added.
The protesters said that none of the drivers’ fraternity from Jammu was unsafe in the Kashmir Valley. “No one has harmed them, we even went to them and offered help. But on the other hand, we are always assaulted,” they added.
They praised members of the Sikh community in Jammu who they said helped in saving their vehicles by allowing them to park in a Gurdawara.
The protesting drivers urged the authorities to take measures for the safety and security of the lives and vehicles of the Kashmiri drivers in Jammu.
Meanwhile, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) President, Rakesh Gupta, talking to reporters condemned the vandalism and attacks on the Muslim community in Jammu. He said, the youth, who torched vehicles of the Muslim community and made peaceful strike an act of Hindu-Muslim contention, have shamed entire Jammu province. He also slammed the divisional, district administration and police for the administrative lapse.