Bought on bank loans, vehicles set on fire in IHK

In occupied Kashmir, the drivers hailing from the Kashmir Valley operating on Srinagar-Jammu highway held a protest at the Press Enclave in Srinagar against assaults on their colleagues by Hindu fanatics in Jammu.

According to Kashmir Media Service,The drivers on the occasion raised slogans against the occupation authorities, saying that the authorities did nothing to safeguard their colleagues in Jammu. The protesting drivers said time and again when anything happens in or outside the Kashmir Valley they are made the first targets. They said that many of the drivers were injured and their vehicles damaged or torched in Jammu. "We are poor and we have bought these vehicles on Bank loans, how are we supposed to feed our families with our livelihood and life at stake," they added.

The protesters said that none of the drivers' fraternity from Jammu was unsafe in the Kashmir Valley. "No one has harmed them, we even went to them and offered help. But on the other hand we are always assaulted," they added. They praised members of Sikh community in Jammu who they said helped in saving their vehicles by allowing them to park in a Gurdawara.

The protesting drivers urged the authorities to take measures for the safety and security of the lives and vehicles of the Kashmiri drivers in Jammu. Meanwhile, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) President, Rakesh Gupta, talking to reporters condemned the vandalism and attacks on Muslim community in Jammu.