The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) terminated their strike on Tuesday following several days of clashes triggered by soaring prices, resulting in four fatalities and over 100 injuries.
The protest was called off a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sanctioned a grant of Rs24 billion to address most of their grievances, notably subsidies on flour and electricity rates.
JAAC initiated their march on Thursday, demanding electricity at the cost of hydropower generation, subsidized wheat flour, and an end to privileges for the elite. They declared a strike for Friday after AJK police obstructed routes to Muzaffarabad.
Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the alliance’s leader, announced the decision in Muzaffarabad, stating, “The government has acceded to all our demands,” urging protesters to disperse.
Mir further urged compensation for the families of three protesters and a deceased police officer.
The JAAC spokesperson praised Kashmiri residents for organizing a successful and peaceful rally, labeling it a ‘historic victory’.
In response to the protests, the government agreed to subsidize wheat prices by Rs1,100 per 40 kilograms and electricity rates for commercial and residential users.
The spokesperson declared a shutter-down strike until 3 PM on Tuesday as a tribute to the protest’s casualties.
Violent clashes between police and JAAC activists erupted in Mirpur on Saturday, resulting in one police officer’s death and over 90 injuries.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif released Rs23 billion to alleviate AJK’s issues, proposing substantial subsidies on flour and electricity tariffs amidst ongoing protests against inflation in the region.
