AJK activities announce protests once again

MUZAFFARABAD: Leaders of a rights movement in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have announced to stage protests over the lack of action on their demands, including reduction in prices of wheat flour and electricity, ARY News reported on Monday.

Azad Kashmir recently witnessed violent clashes between the police and activists of a rights movement amid a wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across the territory, which left at least one police official dead and several others injured.

Sub-inspector Adnan Qureshi succumbed to a gunshot wound in the chest in the town of Islamgarh, where he was deployed to stop a rally for Muzaffarabad under the banner of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

The JAAC, which has traders at the forefront in most parts of the state, had sought the provision of electricity as per hydropower generation cost in AJK, subsidised wheat flour and an end to the privileges of the elite class.

The violent protesters damaged multiple vehicles, including a magistrate’s car at the Poonch-Kotli road. Moreover, markets, trade centres, offices and schools and restaurants remained closed across the AJK.

Later on May 14, the action committee ended protests in AJK after the government accepted their demands.

Today, the action committee held a meeting to discuss the ‘lack of action’ on their demands by the government. The committee announced to stage protests on May 27 if their demands are not met.

The committee also demanded constitution of judicial commission to investigate the ‘killing of innocent civilians’ during the protests from May 8 to 13.

It also demanded establishment of a national grid in Azad Kashmir and declaration of a load-shedding free zone. Furthermore, it sought implementation of the high court’s decision on hydel projects.

The AJK activists also sought action on the remaining eight points of the Azad Kashmir government’s February 4 notification. It also demanded withdrawal of all cases and immediate release of all prisoners.