MUZAFFARABAD, Sept 9: Dozens of residents, majority of which belonged to former AJK prime minister Barrister Sultan Mahmood’s Jammu and Kashmir People’s Muslim League (JK PML), were either detained or pushed back by the law-enforcement agencies personnel on Sunday to prevent them from attending the reception of Pakistan Muslim League (N) president Nawaz Sharif at Islamabad airport on Monday, witnesses and the AJK police sources said.

Detainees hailing from Muzaffarabad, Neelum and Bagh districts were picked up by the Punjab Constabulary shortly after they crossed the Kohala Bridge over River Jhelum while supporters from Poonch, Kotli, Mirpur and Bhimber districts were taken into custody shortly after they entered into the territorial limits of Punjab from their respective areas.

Witnesses said the Punjab Constabulary personnel were checking all private vehicles near Abbasian village, some 7km ahead of Kohala. Abbasian is located in the NWFP.