rki.news | By Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK): Members of the Mirpur District Bar Association continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Monday, demanding action on issues affecting citizens and the legal community.
An emergency meeting of the District Bar Association was held under the chairmanship of Acting President Shaukat Ali Mughal, followed by a protest rally from the District Courts premises through major city streets.
A large number of female lawyers also participated in the rally, expressing solidarity with their colleagues. The procession passed through Chowk Shaheedan and Mian Muhammad Road before returning to the court complex, where participants raised slogans in support of their demands.
Addressing the gathering, bar leaders said the legal community could not remain silent over the prevailing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. They expressed concern over the suspension of internet and banking services for around 40 days and difficulties in the supply of essential goods, saying these issues had created hardships for the public.
The speakers urged the AJK government and relevant authorities to take immediate steps to resolve public concerns. They also demanded the release of detained lawyers and other individuals, calling for protection of constitutional and legal rights.
The meeting passed resolutions seeking an immediate resolution of public issues, release of detainees, and a transparent inquiry into the use of force during protests.
Bar leaders announced that protest rallies would continue daily at 11:00 a.m. and said lawyers would not appear before courts during the ongoing protest until further notice.