Farhan Tariq / Muzaffarabad
Following two days of tension and fatalities in Rawalakot—located in Pakistan-administered Kashmir—protests have erupted across various parts of the region. On Saturday, residents in the Lower Plate area of Muzaffarabad also staged a protest against the alleged drone strikes and violent incidents that took place in Rawalakot the previous day.
According to local sources, protesters took to the streets in the Lower Plate area on Saturday afternoon, leading to the closure of the local market. There are also reports that security forces used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Local sources indicate that a police operation began around 8:00 PM on Saturday near the ‘Pilot Number 2’ school in Lower Plate.
A police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that approximately 20 protesters have been taken into custody so far. However, Javed Gohar, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Muzaffarabad City Police Station, did not confirm the number of arrests.
According to SHO Javed Gohar, various police teams are conducting operations across multiple locations, as the protesters are not concentrated in a single spot but are instead scattered throughout different streets.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Muzaffarabad also did not confirm the figures regarding the arrests of the protesters.
Local sources further reported that demonstrators had attempted to stage a sit-in (dharna) in the ‘Pilot Number 2’ area of Lower Plate, prompting the police to initiate an operation in the vicinity. No statement has yet been issued by the JAC regarding the arrests made in Muzaffarabad.
Meanwhile, local sources claim that the police are stopping citizens traveling on motorcycles and inspecting their mobile phones.
However, the police have not yet provided an official stance regarding the stopping of citizens or the inspection of their mobile phones.
Following the tension, fatalities, and alleged drone strikes that have occurred in Rawalakot over the past two days, the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAC)—an organization declared ‘prohibited’ by the regional government—is holding a torchlight rally at Dareek Eidgah in Rawalakot.
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