Day of mourning in PoJK after 3 protesters killed in troops’ firing
14 May 2024 1:22 PM IST
Pakistani rangers cordon off a street during a protest by Kashmiri demonstrators of Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). (AFP)
SRINAGAR: Mourning and holding of memorial meetings marked a ‘day or mourning’ in Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Tuesday, a day after three persons were killed in the security forces firing on irate crowds protesting against high prices of wheat flour and inflated electricity bills.
The Namaz-e-Jinaza of the slain was scheduled to be offered in capital Muzaffarabad later during the day on Tuesday, a report from across the Line of Control (LoC) said. A complete shutdown is being observed in Muzaffarabad and most other cities and towns of the held territory, the report said.
However, the Awami (People’s) Joint Action Committee which spearheaded the protests has announced to call off its agitation following the government in Muzaffarabad accepting all its demands. Showkat Nawaz Mir, the leader and spokesman of the committee, told reporters, “Our all demands have been accepted and, therefore, we call our tehrik (stir) off. After the funeral prayer of the martyrs is held in Muzaffarabad this afternoon, the people can resume their daily routine.”
On Sunday, the government had doled out a ₹ 23 billion power and wheat subsidies to placate violent protests in PoJK. It had also issued notifications to meet some other demands of the protesters.
Over the weekend, massive protests were held across the territory and people marched on Muzaffarabad from various towns and cities including Bagh, Kotli, Rawlakote, Mirpur, Dhirkote, Chakothi, Chinari and Palandari in support of the demands put forth by the Action Committee. These included an end to exploitation of the territory 's natural resources, implementation of AJK high court's order on the use of hydroelectric projects, involvement of indigenous population in decision-making and resources management, reduced power tariffs and control over rising prices of the essential commodities particularly the wheat flour, protection of environment and unconditional release of arrested leaders.
Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that Rangers, called in to maintain law and order in PoJK, were supposed to return to the Pakistani territory after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement approving the release of ₹ 23 billion for the region on account of power and wheat subsidies. But instead of moving out of the territory via Brarkot — the village bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — they chose to exit the region from Kohala on Monday, the report said. “As the 19-vehicle convoy, including five trucks, reached Muzaffarabad in a ‘charged atmosphere’, it was pelted with rocks near Shorran da Nakka village, to which they responded with teargas and firing,” the newspaper said.
The protesters torched three vehicles of the Pakistan Rangers and when the latter entered the Muzaffarabad city through the Western Bypass, they were “welcomed with rocks again, prompting them to use teargas and bullets”.
Mr. Mir has termed the killing of three protesters in the Rangers’ firing as “unfortunate” and demanded a judicial probe into the shooting incident. He said that due to the snapping of the internet by the government, the people could not be informed about the outcome of the negotiations between the Action Committee and the government representatives and when the Rangers entered Muzaffarabad people showed their resistance leading to the clashes.
He said that the people who had joined the long marches towards Muzaffarabad called by the committee have started returning to their respective places. Mr. Mir also said that the call for starting long marches on Muzaffarabad was given by the Action Committee only after the local government failed to implement the agreements reached between the two sides more than seven months ago and that when the long marches started on Saturday the law enforcing agencies mishandled the situation, resulting into violent clashes.
Earlier on May 11, Muzaffarabad and almost all other cities and towns of PoJK had witnessed massive anti-government protests and clashes, leaving, at least, one police official dead and scores others including security personnel and protesters injured.
The slain police official SI Adnan Farooq who was posted in the area as an additional SHO had been injured in firing by a group of protesters called miscreants by the government authorities at Islamgarh near Mirpur town on Friday and succumbed in a hospital a day later, the officials in Muzaffarabad said.
The Namaz-e-Jinaza of the slain was scheduled to be offered in capital Muzaffarabad later during the day on Tuesday, a report from across the Line of Control (LoC) said. A complete shutdown is being observed in Muzaffarabad and most other cities and towns of the held territory, the report said.
However, the Awami (People’s) Joint Action Committee which spearheaded the protests has announced to call off its agitation following the government in Muzaffarabad accepting all its demands. Showkat Nawaz Mir, the leader and spokesman of the committee, told reporters, “Our all demands have been accepted and, therefore, we call our tehrik (stir) off. After the funeral prayer of the martyrs is held in Muzaffarabad this afternoon, the people can resume their daily routine.”
On Sunday, the government had doled out a ₹ 23 billion power and wheat subsidies to placate violent protests in PoJK. It had also issued notifications to meet some other demands of the protesters.
Over the weekend, massive protests were held across the territory and people marched on Muzaffarabad from various towns and cities including Bagh, Kotli, Rawlakote, Mirpur, Dhirkote, Chakothi, Chinari and Palandari in support of the demands put forth by the Action Committee. These included an end to exploitation of the territory 's natural resources, implementation of AJK high court's order on the use of hydroelectric projects, involvement of indigenous population in decision-making and resources management, reduced power tariffs and control over rising prices of the essential commodities particularly the wheat flour, protection of environment and unconditional release of arrested leaders.
Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that Rangers, called in to maintain law and order in PoJK, were supposed to return to the Pakistani territory after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement approving the release of ₹ 23 billion for the region on account of power and wheat subsidies. But instead of moving out of the territory via Brarkot — the village bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — they chose to exit the region from Kohala on Monday, the report said. “As the 19-vehicle convoy, including five trucks, reached Muzaffarabad in a ‘charged atmosphere’, it was pelted with rocks near Shorran da Nakka village, to which they responded with teargas and firing,” the newspaper said.
The protesters torched three vehicles of the Pakistan Rangers and when the latter entered the Muzaffarabad city through the Western Bypass, they were “welcomed with rocks again, prompting them to use teargas and bullets”.
Mr. Mir has termed the killing of three protesters in the Rangers’ firing as “unfortunate” and demanded a judicial probe into the shooting incident. He said that due to the snapping of the internet by the government, the people could not be informed about the outcome of the negotiations between the Action Committee and the government representatives and when the Rangers entered Muzaffarabad people showed their resistance leading to the clashes.
He said that the people who had joined the long marches towards Muzaffarabad called by the committee have started returning to their respective places. Mr. Mir also said that the call for starting long marches on Muzaffarabad was given by the Action Committee only after the local government failed to implement the agreements reached between the two sides more than seven months ago and that when the long marches started on Saturday the law enforcing agencies mishandled the situation, resulting into violent clashes.
Earlier on May 11, Muzaffarabad and almost all other cities and towns of PoJK had witnessed massive anti-government protests and clashes, leaving, at least, one police official dead and scores others including security personnel and protesters injured.
The slain police official SI Adnan Farooq who was posted in the area as an additional SHO had been injured in firing by a group of protesters called miscreants by the government authorities at Islamgarh near Mirpur town on Friday and succumbed in a hospital a day later, the officials in Muzaffarabad said.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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