A police officer lost his life and more than 100 law enforcement agents sustained injuries during demonstrations in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The residents have been expressing their discontent over rising inflation and inadequate facilities. Posters advocating for a merger with India were spotted in Rawalkot.
The Awami Action Committee (AAC) initiated protests on May 10 due to inflation, resulting in a crackdown by security forces. A shutter-down strike was observed, and the police resorted to using tear gas.
The strikes occurred in Muzaffrabad, Sehansa, Mirpur, Rawalkot, Khuiratta, Tattapani, and Hattian Bala.
The PoK government enforced Section 144, leading to the closure of educational institutions and offices. Videos and images circulating on social media depict police using batons on protestors, resulting in 100 injuries.
PoK activist Amjad Ayub Mirza accused Pakistani forces of firing at unarmed civilians. Mirza appealed for the Indian government’s intervention, stating that the situation had escalated beyond control and that India should assist them and the people in Gilgit Baltistan in gaining independence.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif instructed his officials to engage in negotiations with representatives of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Muzafrabad, who were also participating in protests.
“While debate, discussion, and peaceful protests are the essence of democracy, there should be zero tolerance for individuals taking the law into their own hands and causing damage to government property,’’ Sharif emphasized.
Reports indicated that police detained approximately 70 JAAC activists during raids in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions, resulting in clashes in Dadyal on Wednesday and Thursday, as reported by PTI news agency.
Subsequently, the organization initiated a large-scale strike in the capital on Friday following the arrest of numerous leaders and activists in overnight raids across Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions. The committee had earlier declared that citizens from all over the state would participate in a peaceful march towards Muzaffarabad on May 11.
In the aftermath of the arrests of its leaders and activists in overnight raids across Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions, the organization called for a massive strike in the capital on Friday. The committee had previously announced that a long march towards Muzaffarabad would be staged by people from all over the state on May 11.
