Tehreek Awami Huqooq Circle Bakot today gave the federal and provincial governments and administration a June 30 deadline for complete implementation of its charter of demands. If these demands are not met, the organization says it will be forced to stage a historic protest by closing the Kohala Bridge. The demonstration scheduled for May 10 has been postponed until June 30, taking into account the importance of planning and ongoing budget preparations. This announcement was made during a press conference at the Abbottabad Press Club by former provincial assembly candidate Ghazanfar Ali Abbasi, Chairman Abdul Jabbar Abbasi Advocate, and Tehreek Huqooq Youth Action Committee representatives Sardar Babar Khan and Muhammad Hafeez.
The group’s actions stem from long-standing grievances and unresolved promises. Residents of Circle Bakot had previously protested in harsh cold, highlighting their concerns by blocking the Kohala Kashmir Road. At that time, the administration, including Tehsil Mayor Shuja Nabi and federal representatives, had requested four months to implement the charter of demands. Due to the non-fulfillment of these conditions, the Circle Bakot Action Committee was later formed to present its case on all relevant forums.
At a consultative meeting on April 10, it was initially decided to hold a sit-in on May 10. In subsequent meetings with federal representatives and members of the provincial assembly, promises were reportedly made, but the lack of concrete progress compelled the community to announce the May 10 protest.
However, in a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner four days ago, the community’s concerns and the planned sit-in were reiterated. The Deputy Commissioner reportedly assured a resolution to the issue and suggested postponing the demonstration, promising that recommendations from the charter of demands have been provided to relevant departments and will be prioritized in budget preparations. Based on this assurance, the protest was postponed. The group maintains that if the issues persist, the world will witness an unprecedented public protest.
Further concerns include the condemnation of an incident involving an innocent child in Phool Gran, with a demand for the immediate arrest of the culprits. The community faces fundamental issues, including the absence of hospitals and a lack of adequate connecting roads. Schools destroyed in the 2005 earthquake reportedly lie in ruins, which, according to the group, highlights the continuous neglect of the constituency’s basic issues by public representatives.
The press conference was attended by numerous senior politicians and personalities from Circle Bakot, including Chairman Sardar Sadiq Karli, Chairman Bakot Husam Jamshed Abbasi, Sardar Manzoor Mumtaz Abbasi, Mushtaq Ahmed Satti, Arif Ziyafat Satti, Muhammad Tanveer Abbasi, Muhammad Hafeez, Parvez Abbasi, Moeen Akhtar, Abdullah Imtiaz Abbasi, and Hisham Afreeq Abbasi, among others from various areas.