MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): In the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) , Muzaffarabad the citizens protested against the government on Sunday for allowing a market to be set up on park land, leading officials to revoke a six-month contract and restrict its use to Ramadan.
Residents of Ward 32, Bela Noor Shah, took to the streets in protest against the alleged encroachment on park land under the guise of setting up a low-cost market. The strong public reaction forced the local administration and the Municipal Corporation to revoke a six-month contract that had been granted for the use of the land, reducing it to just the duration of Ramadan.
The debate started after authorities legalized a discounted market on more than 100 kanals of government land. Locals claimed the authorities used this situation to seize control of land by making an excuse about the market. The choice resulted in mass anger across the population, which drove numerous citizens from different parts of the city to organize a major demonstration against it.
During the protest, citizens criticised both the district administration and the Municipal Corporation for what they saw as an attempt to hand over public land for private use. The demonstrators expressed their disappointment with the authorities, demanding that the park be restored to its original purpose and that no permanent commercial activity be allowed on it.
Mayor of Muzaffarabad met with protesters under pressure to issue a spontaneous notification which specified that the park land remained off-limits after Ramadan. Residents continue to doubt the authorities’ future plans due to the mayor’s temporary relief of tensions after his direct response to protesters.
The demonstration reveals that Muzaffarabad residents simultaneously express two main fears about the preservation of public areas and government transparency in administrative choices. Local residents will persistently observe the situation to confirm the land stays free from commercial development.
