The Defence Ministry has firmly denied allegations that the Army harasses civilians or halts the movement of ambulances on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. This statement was made in response to inquiries from Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who raised concerns about frequent interruptions to civilian traffic during the passage of Army or paramilitary convoys on the highway.
Mehdi specifically questioned whether it was true that traffic was halted multiple times at various locations along the highway during military movements. He also inquired if ambulances, which are crucial for emergency services, were being stopped and what measures the government planned to implement to prevent such actions, which he claimed violated human rights and caused unnecessary humiliation.
In its written response to the Lok Sabha, the Defence Ministry explained that regular convoys move between Jammu and Srinagar for various operational and administrative purposes. The Ministry stressed that the Indian Army operates within established protocols to ensure the safety and convenience of civilian traffic. It highlighted the necessity of road-opening parties, which are dispatched prior to the convoys to enhance security and mitigate the chance of attacks or ambushes, a reference to prior incidents.
The Defence Ministry clarified that while traffic may be temporarily regulated at specific junctures, particularly where lateral roads meet National Highway 44 and at U-turns, this regulation is not aimed at harassing civilians. Instead, it emphasized that the responsibility for regulating civilian traffic rests with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the state authorities, reiterating that the Army does not obstruct civilian movement.
However, the Ministry’s stance has been met with skepticism by Mehdi, who contended that the official response was deceptive. Following the release of the Ministry’s statement, the MP took to social media to express his frustration, labeling the response as “full of blatant lies.” He reiterated his calls for an end to the inconvenience faced by the public, particularly regarding the blocking of ambulances during the movement of security forces on the national highway.
The issue has been particularly sensitive in the region, as residents in south Kashmir have reported increased disruptions to traffic following the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019, which heightened security concerns and led to more stringent measures being enforced during Army convoy movements. The ongoing dialogue surrounding the balance between security operations and civilian rights continues to be a point of contention in the region.
