PoJK PM indirectly blames JAAC leaders for death of protesters in Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad [PoJK], May 16 (ANI): Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq indirectly blamed the leaders of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) that was behind protests in Muzaffarabad on Monday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. He said that a tragedy could have been averted if JAAC leaders had called off their protests after their demands were accepted.

Haq was referring to the deaths of three young men who died after being shot by paramilitary personnel at a press conference held at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday, along with 24 members of the PoJK cabinet, where all coalition partners were represented.

Despite Chaudhry Anwarul Haq’s assurances that internet services would be restored in PoJK by Wednesday, the services continue to remain disrupted for the second day, according to Dawn report.

Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said that notifications about the wheat flour subsidy and reduced power tariff were issued after Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif approved Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 23 billion to address the problems of PoJK.

He said that notification received by JAAC leaders should have been sent to people that their demands were accepted. However, he did not mention anyone’s name and said that some people amongst the JAAC doubted the credibility of these notifications, Dawn reported.

Haq said, “Had they announced in time, the tragedy in Muzaffarabad could have been averted.” He said the JAAC had a right to protest. However, he condemned what he termed “mischief,” which led to the death of one public sub-inspector and injured 257 police personnel.

After several days of intense protests and violence which led to the death of three people in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the protestors on Tuesday announced to call off the protests after the Pakistan government accepted their demands and announced a huge relief package, ARY News reported.

This comes as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a Pakistan currency (PKR) 23 billion subsidy package for the people of PoJK.

“The government accepted all the demands of the protesters yesterday,” the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) said in a statement. However, the JAAC said a state-wide shutdown will be observed till 3 pm on Tuesday to honour the people who were killed in the protests.

Highlighting the notification of the constitution of a judicial commission on the issue of perks and privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the JAAC representative said that all those arrested during the protests would be freed as well and the cases registered against the demonstrators would be annulled.

It is pertinent to mention here that PoJK 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 three people dead and several others injured, ARY News reported.

At least a man was killed and two others were injured as clashes between the protestors and law enforcement agencies once again erupted in Muzaffarabad on Monday. During the clashes, the cop was also killed while several others were injured.

As violent protests and a shutter-down strike in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) came to a halt, the UK-based United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) issued a statement reaffirming the region’s long-standing grievances.

In the statement, the UKPNP highlighted the decades-long denial of fundamental human rights, citing injustice, inequality, and systematic plundering of natural resources as enduring issues.

The party condemned the eruption of violence, attributing it to the deployment of para-military forces such as the Punjab Constabulary and Frontier Constabulary, notorious for their alleged inhumane actions.

UKPNP expressed concern over the re-deployment of paramilitary forces, fearing further suppression of the people’s movement. The party voiced its full endorsement of the peaceful struggle led by the Awami Action Committee, asserting its pro-people and pro-peace stance.

It vehemently rejected accusations of foreign financing, dismissing alleged links with India, the Taliban, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), the Baloch Liberation Army, or any purported Jewish lobby.