PoK Unrest: Security Forces Open Fire On Protesters, 3 Killed And Several Injured

During clashes with paramilitary Rangers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's capital Muzaffarabad, protesters were fired upon, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals and injuries to several others.

The situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir remained tense as the total strike against high prices of wheat flour and inflated electricity bills and taxes entered its fifth day on Tuesday.

PoK Unrest: Security Forces Open Fire On Protesters

According to the Dawn newspaper, the paramilitary Rangers, called in to maintain law and order in the disputed region, came under attack while moving out of the region. It was reported that instead of exiting via Brarkot, the village bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 19-vehicle convoy, including five trucks, chose to exit the region from Kohala.

As the convoy reached Muzaffarabad in a "charged atmosphere," it was pelted with rocks near Shorran da Nakka village. In response, teargas and firing were used by the Rangers, as mentioned in the report. Upon entering the city through the Western Bypass, the Rangers encountered more rock-throwing, leading them to use teargas and bullets in response. The intensity of the shelling was such that the entire neighborhood was affected, according to the report.

A subsidy of Pakistani Rs 23 billion was approved for immediate release to the region by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif following a deadlock in negotiations between protesters and the regional government, as per PTI reports. However, the subsidy decision did not pacify the region. Clashes that occurred on Saturday between police and rights movement activists resulted in the death of one police officer and injuries to over 100 people, mostly policemen. Since Friday, a complete strike has brought life in the territory to a halt.

Before the violence occurred, Prime Minister Sharif and the disputed region's "prime minister" Anwarul Haq approved the release of the subsidy for power and wheat. The subsidised rate for 40kg of flour was reduced to Pakistani Rs 2,000 from Rs 3,100. The electricity tariff was lowered to Pakistani Rs 3, Rs 5, and Rs 6 per unit for up to 100, 300, and more than 300 units, respectively, according to the Dawn.

The protest, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) with traders at the forefront, demands electricity at hydropower generation costs, subsidised wheat flour, and an end to elite privileges. On Monday, a long march to Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, was initiated by the JAAC as the wheel-jam strike entered its fourth day. This move followed a stalemate in talks between the JAAC core committee and the region's Chief Secretary Dawood Bareach.