MUZZAFARABAD
The central leadership of the Azad Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (AAC) has distanced itself from recent violent clashes between protestors and police in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The clashes erupted during a demonstration against the rise in electricity tariffs in Mirpur, resulting in casualties including the martyrdom of a sub-inspector and injuries to 16 police officials, including a station house officer (SHO).
Despite the escalation, the AAC reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful activism and strongly denounced any dissemination of anti-Pakistan propaganda on social media. The committee accused the Indian media of fabricating unfounded allegations to divert attention from the ongoing atrocities in Occupied Kashmir.
In December 2023, the AAC reached an agreement with an official reconciliation committee, endorsed by a government notification on Feb 4. However, the committee’s dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to fulfill its promises led to the announcement of a long march on May 11.
Recent events saw the arrest of several AAC members in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions, prompting the committee to declare a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike. In response, AJK police employed measures like blocking arterial routes to Muzaffarabad and dispersing protesters with baton charges and teargas shelling