MUZAFFARABAD: Police on Monday dismantled a protest camp of former ad-hoc employees at a busy roundabout outside the Press Club, using ‘mild baton charge’ to disperse the participants and detaining some of them, including leaders of the movement.

The demonstrators, including several women, had set up a sit-in at the site to press for the regularisation of their services.

Assistant Commissioner Syed Ghulam Mohiuddin Gillani said he had requested the protesters to vacate the location as their camp was disrupting traffic and causing inconvenience to the public.

He claimed the administration had offered them the parking lot in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office as an alternative venue, but the protesters refused, prompting police action. However, the striking employees maintained that in September last year two ministers and the Deputy Commissioner had given a written agreement at the very same spot, pledging to resolve their issues within 45 days — but even after a year no progress had been made.

They also pointed out that formal permission had been sought from the Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad 14 days earlier for the present sit-in, yet the administration forcibly dismantled their camp without justification.

The protesters further alleged that police baton-charged women participants and arrested four leaders, one of whom sustained a head injury.

Despite the removal of their canopy and floor mats, the former ad hoc employees continued their sit-in under the open sky and by evening arranged mats to carry it on.

“No matter how much oppression the administration and government unleash, we will not leave this place until our demands are accepted,” they declared.

However, late at night Assistant Commissioner Gillani held successful negotiations with the protesters, persuading them to end their sit-in. A delegation of the former ad-hoc employees will meet the senior-most minister on Tuesday, he said.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2025