PoK refugees stage protest demonstration

Excelsior Correspondent

PoK refugees taking out protest march at Panjtirthi on Friday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

JAMMU, Mar 1: The refugees from Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) held strong protest demonstration at Mubarak Mandi and took out a rally towards Panjtirthi here today.
The displaced families from Deva Batala, Chhamb, Mirpur, Manawar, Bhimber, Kotli, Muzaffrabad and Baagh area of PoK assembled at Mubarak Mandi under the banner of PoK Refugees Front 1947, 1965, 1971. President of the organization Capt (Retd) Yudvir Singh and general secretary Rashpal Singh Chib were leading.
Carrying banners and placards, these people including large number of women were raising slogans in support of their demands. They were demanding comprehensive settlement of PoK refugees by granting adequate Central package. They also shouted anti-Government slogans and alleged that many senior leaders only befooled the refugees and did not show keen interest in resolving their six decades old issues.
The refugee leaders alleged that many times representations were given to the visiting Union ministers and the State ministers as well. All of them gave assurances but nothing on ground was witnessed so far. They demanded that Wadhwa Committee report should also be made public.  They appreciated the fresh initiative being taken by the new Revenue Minister Aijaz Ahmed Khan as he also held meetings of  senior Revenue officers and representatives of refugees/DPs.
The rally started from Mubarak Mandi and then they moved towards Panjtirthi Chowk. Near Police Police Panjtirthi a large number of DPs offered court arrests but the cops did not arrest them or shift them in buses to DPL or Police station.  After staging protest there for some time, they dispersed.