Srinagar, Apr 10: National Conference (NC) leaders and workers on Wednesday took to the streets to protest against the ban on highway on civilian movement twice a week.
The protest was led by party’s vice President and former chief minister Omar Abdullah in which NC’s General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani, Peer Afaq, Tanvir Sadiq, Salman Sagar and Ahsan Pardesi also participated.
The protesters assembled at Pantha Chowk here and marched towards the highway, which was banned for the day for civilian movement for the second time.
Chanting slogans against ban on highway, the protesters demanded government to lift the ban at an earliest so that people could heave a sigh of relief.
Later, protesters led by Omar also staged a sit-in dharna at highway here to demand the revocation of the order.
Omar demanded the ban on civilian movement on highway on every Wednesdays and Sundays be revoked immediately so that the sufferings of people will come to an end.
He said that the order must be reconsidered, terming it as ‘Tughlaqi farmaan’, saying there was no need to impose the restrictions along highway.
Pertinently, an order was issued by the government, directing that no civilian traffic will be allowed to move from Baramulla in north Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu region on Sundays and Wednesdays till May 31.
The restrictions on civilian traffic on the 271-km highway will remain in force from 4 am to 5 pm, the government had said.
Omar further stated that even the former Army chief General V P Malik has termed the decision as ‘a dumb idea’. “Today’s protest is aimed to convey our demand to the government to demand revocation of ban on highway,” he said.
