MUZAFFARABAD(National Times)- Government officials have ruled out the possibility of long marches as sit-in participants of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) are expected to hold demonstrations at their respective protest sites today.
The main sit-in continued at the Eidgah ground, while smaller gatherings, with attendance ranging between 100 and 500 people, were also being held at Mutyalmera, Singola, Paniola and Shujaabad. According to official sources, participants at the main sit-in on the outskirts of Rawalakot were expected to organise a short rally near the protest site after assembling there at 2pm on Sunday.
“There is no information suggesting they intend to move beyond their respective protest sites,” an official said, attributing the rumours of long marches to the absence of communication facilities in the region.
An official described the sit-ins on the outskirts of the town as gatherings where participants mostly assembled in the evening “to enjoy the cool weather and free meals”.
He said there was no shortage of food supplies at the main protest camp, where rations had been stockpiled in a nearby marriage hall, and meals were being prepared in makeshift ovens. Food was also being provided to households accommodating participants from other areas, he added.
Poonch administration recommends disciplinary action against 70 more officials
The official maintained that although roads leading to Rawalakot remained blocked, there was no shortage of essential commodities in the town. “The administration has allowed grocery stores, medical outlets, poultry and dairy shops to operate so that residents can meet their daily needs,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Poonch administration has intensified its campaign against government employees allegedly participating in the sit-ins by recommending disciplinary action against more than 70 additional officials.
Official correspondence showed that the employees included 42 from the education department — among them one lecturer and 32 teachers — 12 from the health department, five each from the electricity and public works departments, three from the local government and rural development department, and two each from the agriculture and forests departments.
The administration also recommended action against five employees of the National Bank of Pakistan and one employee of the Pakistan Post Office.
The proposed measures include stoppage of salaries and initiation of disciplinary proceedings.
Separately, the education secretariat initiated an inquiry against two retired teachers from Kotli after suspending their pensions over similar allegations, according to another official letter.
In a separate development, the AJK police rejected what it described as a coordinated social media campaign that claimed the law enforcement agencies had attacked the Eidgah sit-in in Rawalakot.
