30 Injured in Clashes During Protests Against Controversial Ordinance in Kashmir
MUZAFFARABAD — At least 30 people, including eight police officers, were injured in violent clashes between police and protesters in Kotli, a southern town in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), on Thursday. The protests were sparked by a controversial ordinance aimed at regulating public assemblies, which demonstrators claim infringes on their fundamental rights.
The protests followed a call to action against the “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance 2024,” which was promulgated on October 29. The ordinance, which limits public gatherings, has been met with legal challenges, including two writ petitions filed in the AJK High Court. The petitions argue that the law violates the Interim Constitution of 1974, which guarantees freedoms of speech, assembly, and association. However, the AJK High Court dismissed these petitions on Monday, ruling that the ordinance imposed “reasonable restrictions” in line with the constitution.
On Tuesday, the AJK Bar Council filed a petition to appeal the decision in the AJK Supreme Court, seeking interim relief. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Raja Saeed Akram, is set to hear the petition alongside the appeal in the coming days.
Protests began last Saturday in Rawalakot, another town in AJK, where demonstrators from various political groups, including the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and National Awami Party (NAP), set fire to copies of the ordinance. Police arrested several individuals during the protests, which escalated on Tuesday with demands for the repeal of the ordinance and the release of detainees. By Wednesday, the number of arrests had risen to seven.
Thursday’s unrest in Kotli was particularly violent, with protesters hurling stones at police and damaging several vehicles, including a police bus, a Rescue 1122 vehicle, and an ambulance. Police responded with tear gas and baton charges, injuring multiple individuals, including both protesters and officers. Local authorities have not made any arrests yet but are reviewing CCTV footage to identify those responsible for the violence.
In anticipation of further unrest, the district administration in Muzaffarabad imposed a ban on public gatherings on Friday. AJK University also declared a holiday for its campuses in and around the city.
