November 22, 2024
By Ahmed Saeed
LAHORE
Hundreds of people took to the streets on Friday, November 22, in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s capital, Muzaffarabad, to protest an ordinance regulating public rallies.
Rights groups and political parties criticised the ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance’, promulgated on October 29, as ‘anti-people legislation’. Despite the ban on processions, scores of protesters gathered at Upper Adah Kal Chowk in the city on the call of the nationalist parties. The protestors chanted slogans against the imposition of the ordinance in the territory. The demonstrators marched in a procession to Aziz Chowk before dispersing peacefully.
The AJK Bar Council challenged the legislation in the AJK High Court, seeking its annulment. However, the high court rejected these petitions and declared the ordinance constitutional.The AJK Bar Council filed a petition in the AJK Supreme Court. The court has served notices to authorities for the next hearing in the coming days.
A day earlier, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and student bodies held massive protests in Kotli and Rawalakot cities, urging the government to withdraw the ordinance.The protests turned violent when police resorted to baton charge and and fired tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators. As a result of the violence, at least 30 people, including 8 policemen, were injured. Police alleged that protesters damaged or set fire to four vehicles and other public property.
In May 2024, AJK witnessed six days of protests over rising electricity tariffs. The AJK govt agreed to a massive cut in power tariff after violent clashes left four people dead including a cop.