MUZAFFARABAD, Sept 3: Hundreds of people held a demonstration in Mirpur on Monday to protest against what they called diversion of funds generated by the lakeside district to other areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The demonstration was organised on the call of various political parties with Jammu Kashmir People’s Muslim League (JK PML) of former AJK prime minister Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry in the forefront.
Other participating parties included Jammu Kashmir Liberation League (JKLL), Jamaat-i-Islami, Jammu Kashmir Plebiscite Front and Jammu Kashmir People’s Party (JKPP).
The Mirpur-born member of the Britain’s House of Lords, Nazir Ahmed, were among those who led the demonstration.
The protesting parties had called for a strike in Mirpur against the alleged transfer of over Rs1.5 billion by the government for various development projects in Dhirkot, including the construction of ‘Mujahid-i-Awwal Highway’ and Neela Butt sports stadium. Dhirkot is the hometown of AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan.
However, witnesses said, life went on normally in the town on Monday and only a partial strike was observed in the area where the demonstration was held.
The speakers threatened that a civil disobedience movement would be launched in Mirpur if the government did not grant the people their due rights and did not return Rs1.5 billion meant for the development projects of the town under the ongoing Mangla dam raising project package.
Lord Ahmed alleged that Wapda was not properly compensating the people uprooted from their houses and farmland for the execution of Mangla dam extension project.
The former prime minister, who represents Mirpur city in the AJK Legislature, urged the people of the district to get united for the sake of their rights.
He ridiculed claims by the ruling Muslim Conference about launching of a jihad in Jammu and Kashmir and said people would not allow diversion of development funds.
He announced that the action committee of Mirpur residents would meet on Sept 10 to decide its future course of action.