Thousands of people Friday joined protest demonstrations in the mountainous Kargil district to demand re-opening of the traditional Kargil-Skardu road.
A major protest rally was held in Kargil town after Friday prayers. It was led by the president, Anjuman Jamiyat Ullama Isna Ashriya Kargil (AJUIAK), Shiekh Nazir Mehdi Mohammadi, and other prominent clerics, social and political activists.
The protesters marched from AJUIAK office through Khomeini Chowk to Laal-Chowk.
The AJUIAK appealed to the people to support the “open Kargil-Skardu road movement”.
Addressing the protesters, Mohammadi said around 12,000 to 15,000 families remain divided due to the closure of the road.
He urged the government of India to open Kargil-Skardu and Turtuk-Khapulo roads on “humanitarian” grounds.
Referring to a resolution of the Parliament passed in 1994, he said if India considers Gilgit-Baltistan as its integral part, then they should also consider the plight of the people of GB and Ladakh.
“The families were divided in a night in 1947 and again in 1971 more villages like Hundermo, Budgam, Tyakshi and Cholunkha came under India and more families got divided,” he said.
Mohammadi said many of these family members died in the hope that they will meet their dear ones some day.
He said that New Delhi should take up the matter with Pakistan as they have already said they were ready to open this route.
Similar protests were also held in Drass area where people called for opening of the traditional route.
Speaking about the Zojila tunnel, Mohammadi said if the government of India cannot spend money on the project, “then the easiest route for all-weather connectivity is Kargil-Skardu, and therefore the government should take up this matter with the Pakistan government.”
OMAR, MEHBOOBA, MIRWAIZ SUPPORT MARCHERS
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti Friday came out in support of the demand of Kargil residents to re-open Kargil-Skardu road.
Taking to twitter, Omar said his party National Conference supports the genuine demand of the people and hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would announce the opening of the road during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on February 3.
Mehbooba, who is also the president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said her party envisaged through self-rule not only opening of Kargil-Skardu but other routes also. She said the opening of routes like Kargil-Skardu would serve the cause of peace beyond borders, besides opening up Jammu and Kashmir to the world.
Earlier in the day, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also extended his support to the residents of Kargil demanding re-opening of Kargil-Skardu road.
He wrote on his twitter handle: “Support people’s march in #Kargil demanding reopening of old Kargil-Skardu route which is just 120 km apart! All natural routes of divided state of J&K should be opened and people allowed to connect to their loved ones, have access to essentials in harsh weather conditions and be able to visit their places of worship and do commerce”.