SRINAGAR: In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of Hurriyat forum, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and other organizations have condemned the authorities’ decision of disallowing movement of civilian vehicles on the Srinagar-Jammu highway for two days a week and termed it another anti-people dictatorial move of the authorities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a tweet in Srinagar asked the authorities to withdraw the order of closing down the highway and it will cause great distress to the people.
The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) in a statement in Srinagar denouncing the banning of civilian traffic on the highway said it is another ploy of teasing and harassing the Kashmiri people and invading into their right to life and liberty.
The HCBA reiterated that the freedom of movement and travel at home and abroad was not only important for securing employment in any part of the world but was also essential for education, trade and also for cultural, political and social activities.
It also took a serious note of the statements of India’s Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, and BJP President, Amit Shah, favouring abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution, terming it as interference in judicial proceedings.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement issued in Srinagar called for immediate revocation of the order banning movement of civilian traffic on the highway. It said the order has been issued without considering its impact on the population of Kashmir and is indicative of the lack of awareness of local problems.
“At a time when the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been raising the issue of lack of alternative routes and means of travel to Kashmir, the closure of the only available road link would put the whole population to unimaginable inconvenience and will have disastrous consequences for our economy,” it added. (KMS)
