PoK Clashes After Police Arrest Committee Leaders Amid Inflation Protest

A strike called by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s (PoK) Muzaffarabad led to disruptions in businesses and normal life, with reports of tear gas shelling by police during clashes with demonstrators.

According to local media reports, the strike, organized to protest against a police crackdown, resulted in tense confrontations between security forces and protesters. Tear gas shelling by the police affected residents in their homes and mosques, as clashes escalated following stone-pelting by demonstrators.

Protests were reported in various areas of PoK, including Samahni, Sehansa, Mirpur, Rawalakot, Khuiratta, Tattapani, and Hattian Bala. The strike was called after the arrest of several leaders and activists of JKJAAC in overnight raids conducted in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions.

The JKJAAC, a prominent rights movement, has been protesting against unjust taxes imposed on electricity bills. Clashes between police and protesters in Dadyal and Mirpur district resulted in multiple injuries and the imposition of a curfew by Pakistani authorities.

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Rights activists have condemned what they describe as “state-sponsored violence” by Pakistani federal authorities, viewing it as a tactic to enforce Section 144 and suppress scheduled protests outside the legislative assembly in Muzaffarabad on May 11.

It has been reported that the Chief Secretary of PoK requested additional security forces from Islamabad, anticipating further unrest. In preparation for the strike, the government enforced Section 144 across PoK and declared holidays in educational institutions on May 10 and 11.

The JKJAAC movement demands that electricity tariffs be based on the production cost of hydro-power in the region. As a result of the strike, businesses, banks, and educational institutions remained closed, while traffic and vendors stayed off the roads in Muzaffarabad division.

The situation underscores the ongoing tensions in PoK and the dissatisfaction among residents with governmental policies, particularly regarding taxation and electricity tariffs. As protests continue, authorities are striving to maintain order while activists push for their demands to be addressed.