For 3 consecutive days now, there have been continuous demonstrations in Muzaffarabad. The violence from these clashes has resulted in the death of 1 police officer and 90 people being injured. The wheel-down and shutter-down strike continues to date, however it has arguably become much more peaceful and calmer. The scale and intensity of these protests can be attributed to the fact that these rallies are formally organized. The sub-inspector Adnan Qureshi was also martyred in an attempt to resist a rally under Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). In addition to the main aim of acquiring low-cost electricity, JAAC seeks to subsidize wheat flour. They also requestioned an end to the privileges of the elite class.
The order for protests under the banner of JAAC was therefore followed by an arrest of 70 members of the Committee. They explicitly began activating protestors. A day into the demonstrations, 3 rangers battalions were deployed to counter this resistance. However, after the situation mellowed down, President Asif Ali Zardari called the troopers back. The former Prime Minister of AJK, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, criticized this move. He implied that the intervention of the President was a mere political move.
Government Response
Pelting stones, shelling, barriers were all initial courses of action taken by the police. However, after loss of life and serious damages, the current has died down. Subsequently tangible action on the part of the government taken now to alleviate the scale of protests are as follows:
Additional police personnel have been withdrawn from the entry and exit points of Bhimber district, given the reopening of business centers and the normal flow of traffic on the highways. Chaudry Anwarul Haq, Azad Kashmir Prime Minister has invited the Public Action Committee for an open dialogue. This reflects on the willingness of the Government to discuss and negotiate demands. Consistently, on Sunday, PM Shehbaz Sharif conveyed profound concern regarding the ongoing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). He emphasized the significance of pursuing a peaceful approach to address the issues.
The President also held a meeting with a delegation of members of the AJK Legislative Assembly belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr. His primary response to this delegation was also to exercise restraint and deal with these protestors in a tolerant manner. He assured that these demands will be catered to, in abidance with the law.
