At Least 3 Killed as Security Forces Clash with Protesters in Muzaffarabad » Capital News
Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, May 16 – At least three people were killed and six others injured when security forces opened fire on protesters during clashes with paramilitary Rangers in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The region has been engulfed in protests against high wheat flour prices and inflated electricity bills, according to a report by the Dawn newspaper.
The paramilitary Rangers, deployed to maintain law and order, faced intense resistance while attempting to exit the region. Instead of taking the Brarkot route bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 19-vehicle convoy, including five trucks, chose to exit via Kohala. As the convoy reached Muzaffarabad in a “charged atmosphere,” it was attacked with rocks near Shorran da Nakka village, prompting the Rangers to respond with tear gas and gunfire.
The convoy faced further hostility after entering the city through the Western Bypass, where they were again pelted with rocks. In response, the Rangers deployed tear gas and fired bullets, causing significant disruption in the neighborhood.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a Pakistani Rs 23 billion subsidy for the region after negotiations between the protesters and the regional government reached a deadlock. However, this subsidy failed to quell the unrest.
The region also saw violent clashes on Saturday between police and activists of a rights movement, resulting in the death of one police officer and injuries to over 100 people, mostly policemen. A complete strike has been observed since Friday, bringing life to a standstill.
Before the violence erupted, Prime Minister Sharif and the region’s ‘prime minister’ Anwarul Haq had agreed to release Rs 23 billion for power and wheat subsidies. The subsidized rate for 40kg of flour was reduced to Pakistani Rs 2,000 from Rs 3,100, and electricity tariffs were lowered to Rs 3, Rs 5, and Rs 6 per unit for up to 100, 300, and more than 300 units, respectively.
The protests are led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), with traders at the forefront. The JAAC demands electricity at hydropower generation costs, subsidized wheat flour, and an end to elite privileges. A long march organized by the JAAC left for Muzaffarabad on Monday as the wheel-jam strike entered its fourth day. Talks between the JAAC core committee and the region’s Chief Secretary, Dawood Bareach, ended without resolution.
Prime Minister Sharif expressed deep concern over the violent clashes, stating that there should be “absolutely no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands.” He urged all parties to seek peaceful resolutions to their demands, hoping that the issue would be resolved soon despite efforts by detractors to escalate tensions.
President Asif Ali Zardari also called for restraint and urged stakeholders to resolve the issues through dialogue and mutual consultation, as part of efforts to calm the situation.
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