Strike against inflation in AJK now into its third day

Shutter-down strike in various cities of Azad Kashmir on the call of Awami Action Committee against inflation continued on third day, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

According to report, due to the strike, transport and internet services have been closed.

Moreover, strike and wheel-jam in Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Bagh, Mirpur and Jhelum Valley districts also continued today.

Due to closure of business centers, citizens are facing problems.

Heavy police force has been deployed at various places to control the situation while emergency has been imposed in hospitals and staff holidays have been cancelled.

Protesters are protesting for the supply of cheap electricity and cheap flour.

Ajk public action committee stand

Meanwhile, the stand of the Action Committee came out after the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir invited for talks.

In this regard, Joint Public Action Committee leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir issued a video statement.

In his statement, Shaukat Nawaz Mir said that we have been tortured by shutting down the internet because shutting down the internet is a negative move.

He said that caravans coming from different areas will be welcomed in Muzaffarabad.

The Public Action Committee leader said our main three demands are the supply of cheap flour and electricity at the rate of production cost and the end of privileges of elites.

Our struggle is for the rights of the people, Joint Action Committee leader said.

Moreover, the central leadership of the Azad Kashmir Joint Action Committee expressed indifference to the violent incidents.

The central leadership not only showed indifference to these violent incidents but also exposed India's negative propaganda,.

In this regard, all members reiterated that our movement is and will remain peaceful.

It is worth mentioning here that yesterday, clashes between the protestors, observing wheel jam and a shutter-down strike on the call given by the Joint Awami Action Committee in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and other cities of the region on the second consecutive day, and the police were reported from different parts of Muzaffarabad.
The protestors lost their temper when they found out that a heavy contingent of the police had been deployed on the routes leading to the Medina Market where the action committee had planned a gathering for them.
They pelted the police personnel with stones in several areas of the city, including Tonga Stand, Aziz Chowk and Shah Sultan.
The police retaliated and fired teargas shells at the protestors in order to disperse them.
The roads in Muzaffarabad were deserted as all educational institutions, offices and business centers in the city remained closed on the second day of the strike.
Same was the case with the roads connecting different cities of the AJK with each other as well as with Pakistan.
On the other hand, one of the committee members alleged that the police carried out raids on people’s homes late Friday night, took several innocent youths into custody and subjected them to severe torture at police stations.
He was of the view that such tactics of the government would turn the youth violent.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muzaffarabad Nadeem Janjua told the media that 28 people were arrested yesterday for throwing stones at the police and damaging vehicles. “Dozens of cops were injured in clashes with the protestors,” he elaborated.
Making it clear that the protection of the lives and properties of the people was the government’s top priority, the DC said he would not let anybody take the law into his own hands.
Janjua informed that the government had chalked out a complete strategy to ensure implementation on section 144 as well as open roads for traffic.
He asked the people of the AJK to point out to the law-enforcement agencies the troublemakers.
The committee had given a call for the strike in order to push the government for the provision of flour and electricity at cheaper rates.