Clashes erupt across Pak-occupied Kashmir over crackdown on protesters

PTI

Islamabad, May 11

Businesses remained closed and normal life was affected during a crippling strike in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s capital Muzaffarabad to protest against a police crackdown, which led to a confrontation between the security forces and demonstrators, a local media report said on Saturday.

The shutter-down and wheel-jam strike in the Muzaffarabad on Friday, on a call by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), also saw police resort to teargas shelling, affecting people in homes and mosques as well, after demonstrators threw stones, a newspaper reported. Protests were held in Samahni, Sehansa, Mirpur, Rawalakot, Khuiratta, Tattapani and Hattian Bala — all in PoK.

The JKJAAC gave the strike call for Friday after several of its leaders and activists were arrested by the police in overnight raids in different parts of Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions, it said, adding the committee had last month announced that people from across the state would stage a long march towards Muzaffarabad on May 11. The committee is a leading rights group protesting the “unjust” taxes levied on electricity bills.

It has emerged that the PoK Chief Secretary had written to the secretary of the Interior Division in Islamabad, requisitioning six civil armed forces platoons for security in view of the May 11 strike.

Additional troops were reportedly requested for three months.

The JKJAAC movement has demanded that electricity should be provided to consumers following the production cost of hydropower in the state.

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