–Raja Farooq Haider says protest has already served its purpose
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has urged the protesters of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) to end their march to the Line of Control (LoC) as it had already served its purpose.
On Monday, JKLF protesters had expressed their determination to reach the de-factor border that separates Kashmir by urging the authorities to remove the containers so that they can proceed with their march.
Addressing a press conference in Jiskool, where the marchers were holding their sit-in, JKLF Central Spokesperson Mohammad Rafiq Dar had said, “The AJK government should remove the hurdles and allow the marchers to cross the ceasefire line or else the sit-in will continue at this place for an indefinite period.”
“Otherwise, the government should bring here any special representative of the United Nations (UN) secretary general as well as representatives of the five permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members so that we are able to give them our charter of demands,” he had added.
“How can we lead a normal life here when our brothers and sisters across the ceasefire line are going through nightmarish conditions at the hands of the Indian army,” he had asked.
Dar had also said that the best option in the prevailing situation was the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in Kashmir until a plebiscite was held to ascertain the opinion of Kashmiris about their future. He also said that other demands would be shared soon in the shape of a memorandum.
The JKLF led marchers had reached Jiskool on Sunday afternoon to be greeted by the road blockades. While a majority of them returned to Chinari and other rear areas to spend the night, the leaders and many others took shelter under a big canopy that was erected on the main road late at night. On Sunday night, two AJK cabinet members had also tried to convince the JKLF leaders to call off their march, but to no avail.
