By IANS,
Srinagar : Hundreds of activists of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a peaceful march here to press the party’s demand for final resolution of the Kashmir issue and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
The PDP leaders and activists marched to the historic city centre Lal Chowk shouting slogans though the police earlier tried to stop the protest march as it began from the party headquarters.
Addressing the rally near the clock tower in Lal Chowk, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti demanded immediate revocation of the AFSPA which she said gave sweeping powers to the security forces.
She alleged that the recent killing of civilians in Kupwara and in Shopian were “the result of AFSPA” whose revocation “had become necessary”.
Mufti also blamed the union government for “bartering the water resources” of the state to Pakistan through the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 according to which the state government cannot construct dams on the state’s major rivers.
PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar told IANS that such rallies were also held in Jammu and other district headquarters to press the party’s demand for an “early final settlement of the Kashmir issue”.