MUZAFFARABAD: Police in Azad and Jammu Kashmir on Saturday arrested nearly 300 activists of the AJK People's Party in a bid to stop a protest against Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, police said.

Most of the arrests were made in Muzaffarabad as the demonstrators gathered before a planned march to the parliament building, where they wanted to hold the rally, Deputy Superintendent Ghulam Sarwar told The Associated Press. The others were picked up in the districts of Rawalakot, Bagh, Poonch, Mirpur and Kotli, from where they were planning to travel to Muzaffarabad to participate in Saturday's demonstration

The opposition is protesting against Sardar Sikandar's statement about permanently dividing Kashmir on the basis of religion to "close this chapter once, and for all". DSP Sarwar said police acted in the interest of peace. "We arrested them because they wanted to disrupt law and order," he said.

People's Party Chief Barrister Sultan Mahmood claimed that more than 3,000 workers of his party had been arrested at different places. "The government has resorted to worst measures to thwart our peaceful demonstration to protest against the proposal to divide Kashmir along religious lines," Mahmood said.

Heavy contingents of riot police patrolled the streets in Muzaffarabad to meet any eventuality. The streets remained deserted as people stayed indoors to avoid being hurt in likely clashes between the police and the opposition workers.