LAHORE: Protest demonstrations were held in Srinagar and Kupwara districts of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kahmir against the anti-people policies of the New Delhi-installed administration on Wednesday.

According to a Kashmir Media Service report, contractual lecturers in Kashmir staged a protest within the premises of Amar Singh College in Srinagar against an order by the administration transitioning them to guest faculty roles. They said that the order would drastically reduce their salaries. The protesting lecturers emphasised the unfair treatment and inequality they face compared to lecturers in Indian states.

According to the protesters, over 2,000 lecturers serve in various colleges across Kashmir under precarious terms. The protesting lecturers also urged transparency in the recruitment process and immediate filling of vacant positions across colleges in Kashmir. They warned of hunger strikes if grievances were not promptly addressed.

In Kupwara, specially-abled and elderly persons staged a protest against concerned authorities for failing to provide them with a monthly pension for the last several months. While protesting in front of the DC office, they said that hundreds of people in Kupwara including old-age persons, persons with disabilities, widows and divorcees have not received monthly pension of Rs 1000 for the last 9 months thus making their life miserable.

A physically disabled person who was part of the protest said that he was unable to buy medicines due to lack of money. “I along with other persons have completed all the formalities but still we have been deprived of the pension,” Mushtaq Ahmad, a protestor said. “We are struggling for our survival, but the concerned authorities seem to be insensitive regarding our hardships,” he added. The protesters demanded implementation of Disability Act at the earliest so that they can avail their rights.