National Conference Saturday held protests at Banihal along Jammu-Srinagar National Highway against the “restrictions and ban imposed on the movement of civilian traffic twice a week on the highway”.
The nearly 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linkingKashmir with rest of the country, has been closed for civilian traffic twice aweek — Wednesday and Sunday — from 4 am to 5 pm till May 31 to facilitatesmooth movement of security convoys, drawing sharp criticism, especially from themainstream parties and business community.
Led by NC district president Sajjad Shaheen, the protestorssought revocation of the order imposing ban on the civilian traffic on theSrinagar-Jammu National Highway on every Wednesday and Sunday.
Shaheen termed the ban as “authoritarian” and “gross humanrights violation”.
He said such an unprecedented move is “first in the historyof Jammu and Kashmir that has turned out as a nightmare for the commuters onthe highway as also various towns, suburbs and rural pockets along thehighway.”
He, according to a party handout issued today, said theproponents of such an order have not applied their mind, which speaks volumesabout their “disconnect” with the people who have been pushed to the wall.
The NC district president expressed hope that Governor SatyaPal Malik will take immediate review of the ban.
The protesters carrying placards raised slogans against theorder and demanded its immediate revocation.