PM Shehbaz
ISLAMABAD: In response to the recent unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took decisive action on Monday by approving the immediate provision of Rs23 billion to address the region’s pressing needs.
The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), comprising prominent traders across the state, has been advocating for various demands, including fair electricity pricing based on hydropower generation costs, subsidized wheat flour, and an end to elite class privileges.
Tensions escalated earlier this month when police arrested approximately 70 activists in an attempt to thwart a planned long march by the JAAC. Subsequent clashes erupted in Dadyal, followed by a widespread “shutter-down strike.”
Friday saw intensified confrontations between law enforcement and protesters in Muzaffarabad amidst the ongoing strike. The following day witnessed further violence, resulting in casualties, as the protest movement continued across AJK.
Despite efforts to negotiate a resolution, talks between the JAAC core committee and AJK Chief Secretary Dawood Bareach yielded no breakthrough, prompting protest leaders to accuse the government of evasive tactics.
In response to the escalating situation, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz assured to address the demonstrators’ “genuine demands,” emphasizing the importance of dialogue and restraint.
In light of the ongoing unrest, government offices and educational institutions remained closed.
Prime Minister Sharif convened a special meeting in Islamabad, attended by AJK PM Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, local ministers, and key political figures. Federal ministers and coalition party leaders also participated, conducting a comprehensive review of the situation.
The decision to allocate funds was widely praised by AJK leaders and participants, underscoring the government’s commitment to addressing the region’s grievances and restoring peace and stability.
