Muzaffarabad, October 3 — Violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have left at least nine people dead, including six civilians and three police officers, over five days of unrest. Markets, schools, and transport remain shut across the region. The demonstrations, led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), entered a fifth day on Friday amid an ongoing internet blackout and calls for dialogue, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
Protests erupted on Monday in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Mirpur, and other areas, drawing up to 6,000 participants at their peak. Demonstrators demanded an end to elite privileges such as free electricity and luxury vehicles, subsidized wheat flour, lower electricity tariffs from the Mangla Hydropower Project, more hospitals, royalties from local resources, and the removal of 12 reserved legislative seats for Pakistani refugees. The JAAC, a civil rights alliance, accused politicians of acting like “gangsters” and blocking local governance.
Reporters observed bloodstained streets littered with bullet casings, glass shards, and stones in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, evidence of intense confrontations where police fired tear gas and live rounds to disperse crowds, AFP reported. Protester Asad Tabbasum, 51, said, “The politicians here behave like gangsters ruling over our heads; we want them gone and their privileges removed. They should stand with us.” JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz added, “The bullets being fired against us are being made in Pakistan,” lamenting their use on locals rather than external threats.
The Azad Kashmir government reported over 170 police injuries and 50 civilian casualties, while organizers claimed more than 100 wounded among protesters. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi blamed “a few miscreants, on the enemy’s instigation”—a phrase often alluding to India—for disrupting peace, without elaborating. He emphasized, “Peaceful protest is everyone’s right, but taking the law into one’s own hands will never be allowed.” The military, a sensitive topic in Pakistan, has not commented, despite the region’s strategic border location with India, where skirmishes occurred in May.
An internet and mobile blackout since Monday has limited information flow, with local media warned against coverage and journalists accusing authorities of harassment. Protester Akash Kazmi, 22, said, “Our voice has been muted… they are reporting us as miscreants when we are here for our rights.” Amnesty International called for an “immediate, impartial and transparent investigation” into the deaths and excessive use of force, noting the blackout fuels panic and misinformation.
In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a high-level committee including federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Yousaf, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, former Azad Kashmir President Masood Khan, and Senator Rana Sanaullah to negotiate. The first round of talks with JAAC leaders in Muzaffarabad concluded successfully on Thursday after two hours, with consultations held in Dhirkot to finalize strategy. A second round is scheduled for Friday afternoon after prayers, as the government claims to have accepted 90% of demands, including subsidies. JAAC, however, denies this and insists on full implementation. Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq urged protesters to abandon “the path of violence” in favor of dialogue, noting that two demands—reducing ministers and scrapping reserved seats—require legislation.
Sharif expressed concern and ordered transparent investigations and aid for affected families, adding, “The government is always ready to resolve the problems of our Kashmiri brothers.” Funerals and marches continued Thursday, with Nawaz declaring, “Sometimes they call us betrayers, sometimes Indian agents—we are neither. We will keep fighting till we get our rights.” The unrest echoes movements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, highlighting broader grievances in Pakistan’s marginalized regions.
(Inputs from International News Agencies)
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