Demand good roads, streetlights 
Surankote residents block highway 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Surankote (Poonch), July 2
Once the hotbed of militancy, residents of this tiny township, around 30 km from Poonch along the Jammu-Poonch National Highway, are now demanding good roads, a municipality, streetlights and a better bus stand.
Last night, people allegedly threw stones on the vehicle of Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Afzal Bhatt, who was on his way from Jammu to Poonch, for not “paying heed” to their demands. However, Bhatt escaped unhurt.
A large number of people held a protest in support of their demands here this morning. They forced the closure of shops, business establishments and educational institutions and blocked the Jammu-Poonch National Highway from 5 am to 2.30 pm.
Shanty Manhas, president of the Beopar Mandal, Surankote, said, “For years, we have been demanding that the condition of roads be improved. We have also been demanding a municipality for the town, besides streetlights, a good bus stand and toilet facilities.
However, even as every politician has been promising to change our fate, they have virtually done nothing.”
“The government should know that this is just the beginning of our fight. We will intensify our protests if the government did not fulfil our demands,” he added.
Even as protests affected life in the town and made travelling from Jammu and other neighbouring towns to Poonch difficult, the DC and other officers reached the town at 12.30 pm to mollify of the protesters. The protest was suspended after the DC assured the protesters that their demands would be taken up with the higher authorities.
However, the protesters warned that in case their demands were not fulfilled in a specific time limit, they would resume the protests.
Meanwhile, the BRO authorities, who accompanied the DC, assured the people that the work on the main road would start within two days.