RAWALAKOT – After two days of tumultuous protests, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government reportedly acceded to all demands put forth by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which had been protesting against exorbitant electricity bills and taxes.
Violent clashes erupted across Azad Kashmir between law enforcement and activists of a rights movement amid a widespread strike that paralyzed the region, resulting in the tragic death of at least one police officer and injuries to several others.
Sub-Inspector Adnan Qureshi tragically lost his life due to a gunshot wound sustained in the chest in Islamgarh, where he had been deployed to manage a rally bound for Muzaffarabad under the banner of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
The JAAC, predominantly composed of traders, has been advocating for electricity pricing in line with hydropower generation costs in AJK, subsidized wheat flour and an end to privileges enjoyed by the elite class.
During the protests, violent demonstrators vandalized numerous vehicles, including a magistrate’s car on the Poonch-Kotli Road. Furthermore, markets, trade centers, offices, schools, and restaurants remained shuttered across AJK.
According to sources, negotiations between a JAAC delegation and the territory’s Chief Secretary, held at the residence of the Rawalakot Commissioner, resulted in the government conceding to all demands put forth by the protesters.
Sources indicated that the government also agreed to the committee’s request for subsidized flour and the reversal of electricity bill hikes.
