By IANS
Jammu : Authorities in Doda district in Jammu region Sunday imposed prohibitory orders in the district headquarters ahead of the second phase of the ‘march for freedom’ by the pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
The JKLF, which seeks independence for Jammu and Kashmir, was to launch the second and final phase of Safar-e-Azadi, to be led by its chairman Yasin Malik, in Jammu region from Monday. The first phase was launched in the Kashmir valley in the summer.
Doda District Magistrate Saurav Bhagat told IANS that authorities “decided to impose Section 144 (prohibiting the gathering of more than five people) in Doda town fearing disturbance of law and order due to the proposed march by JKLF”.
He said when Malik and his supporters were shown the orders, “they held protest demonstrations for some time and then boarded vehicles back to Srinagar”.
Maood Ahmad Sheikh, a JKLF executive member, said, “Authorities were worried when they saw the large number of supporters gathering for the march, and they imposed prohibitory orders and arrested Yasin Malik along with his supporters.”
He said the march had been “called off for now”.
Malik said the march was aimed at “educating people about the Kashmir dispute and finding a solution as per aspirations of the people of the state and stability and peace in South Asia.”