Life partially paralysis in AJK as shutter downs on AAC call demanding immediate withdrawal of AJK Presidential Ordinance-2024:

English , Kashmir - آزاد جموں کشمیر , Snippets , / Thursday, December 5th, 2024

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Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR (AJK): Dec 5: In Azad Jammu Kashmir, life was partially paralysed following complete shutter-down strike in response to the call given by Awami Action Committee, a vibrant non-polotical forum of the AJK’s civil society to press the AJK government for early withdrawal of the allegedly controversial AJK Presidential Ordinance – ‘Pea­ceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance, 2024’, allegedly denying civil rights to hold public rallies at public places without securing prior permission from the concerned district authorities in Azad Jammu Kashmir.

The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu Kashmir, it may be added, has recently suspended the aforesaid Ordinance in response to a writ petition by a section of the civil society.

Our Special Jammu and Kashmir state Correspondent Altaf Hamid Rao reports from the lake district of Mirpur AJK that various parts of Azad Jammu KKashmir including this district Thursday echoed with mass protest rallies against the enforcement of the Presidential ordinance by AJK government, amidst complete shutter down but partial wheel jam strike against the enforcement of the said Ordinance.

In Mirpur, in response to the call of various segments of the civil society inder the fold of the AJK Awami Action Committee, the movement against the AJK administration-sponsored Presidential Ordinance 2024, the day long shutter down strike was observed in Mirpur district like the rest of Azad Jammu Kashmir to press the AJK government to withdraw the controversial presidential ordinance and to accept the AAC sponsored Charter of Demand.

After reaching the historic Chowk Shaheedan through Mian Muhammad Road, the processions taken out from various parts of the city turned into a big rally.

Addressing the rally leaders from different segments of the civil society including Usman Lone and Usman Jiraal of Sajid Plaza Shopping Mall business community, Iftikhar Qayyum Mirza, Chaudhry Arif, Sardar Jameel Sadiq Advocate, Joint Action Committee Leaders, Kamran Tariq Advocate, Former Mirpur AJK Bar Presidents Raja Imtiaz Hussain and Zulfiqar Raja Advocate, Raja Danish Advocate, Saad Ansari Advocate, Chaudhry Tariq Advocate, Shabbir Mughal Advocate, Faisal Usman Advocate, Muslim League Leaders Raja Taslim Anjum, Mirza Iftikhar, Asif Mehmood Butt, Fayyaz Hussain Butt, Raja Muhammad Ali, Tariq Mir of Anjaman Tajaran, Ejaz Mir, Aftab Chaichi Central President of Mirpur Traders Union Chaudhry Muhammad Naeem and President of Etihad Group Traders Union Chaudhry Mehmood , Overseas Kashmiris Leader Humayun Pasha, Syed Azhar Abba. Mirza Nabil President of Auto Parts, Aamir Butt, Jabbar Minhas Advocate, Shahzad Thakur, Sohail Qaiser Advocate, Chaudhry Farid Anwar Advocate, Chaudhry Waheed Akhtar Advocate, Asif Jaral, Zaheer Jaral, Sain Zulafiqar Chaudhry, Ashraf Ayaz Advocate, Arshad Malik Advocate, Ghazi Amanullah including lawyers, businessmen and the protesters from all other classes of the civil society shouted slogans against the AJK authorities for imposing, what they called the uncalled for and unwarranted Presidential Ordinance with ulterior motives to curb the basic right of freedom of expression of the AJK people, denying the concerned articles of the AJK Interim Constitution Act 1974.

The speakers demanded that the controversial presidential ordinance black law should immediately be withdrawn by the AJK government. They also urged that the privileges of theAJK ruling elite should also be abolished and the state funds be diverted to the betterment of the sick humanity in the region, besides bringing the AJK ruling junta to thesmall vehicles.

Speakers also urged that the AJK government should also withdraw the cases filed under the Fundamental Human Rights Aandbesides the unconditional release of he arrested people. The civil society representative leaders declared that if the AJK government did not accept the demands immediately, the Awami Action Committee will be constrained to continue the strike indefinitely.

They termed the Presidential Ordinance as a blatant violation of basic human rights.

Speakers said that since peaceful protest was the right of everyone, but under the guise of this law will not be acceptable in any case, they added.

Speakers termed today’s shutter down strike a full protest and referendum against the State government throughout Azad Jammu Kashmir, which they declared would be continued untill the government does not withdraw the ordinance and the privileges of the elite do not bring to a permanent end. Speakers termed it a battle for the rights of the people of the state, which will not be abandoned till the acceptance of the public demands, the AAC leaders announced.

Speakers urged that AJK government should take care of the gravity of the situation in the state where the region’s popular civil society forum the Awami Action Committee had given an AJK wide protest shutter and wheel jam strike call on December 05, which they asserted successful. against the recent imposition of the Presidential Ordinance-2024 and to press the AJK government for immediate withdrawal of the Ordinance, which they described as against the basic democratic rights and freedom of expression – that committed to be given in the Interim Constitution Act- 1974 of Azad Jammu Kashmir, he added.

Several of Speakers said that the people of Azad Kashmir have immense love for Pakistan. They said continued that the situation in AJK was getting bad to worse due to, what he called, the unsustainable policies of the sitting AJK rulers.

“It needs to be corrected on time instantly before it get more deteriorated”, they urged