The shutter down and wheel-jam strike in Azad Jammu and Kashmir persists for the fourth consecutive day, paralysing daily life in the region. Markets remain closed, public transport is suspended, and government offices as well as educational institutions remain shut.
Compounding the situation, internet services have been suspended, exacerbating communication challenges for residents. March participants from different areas are gathering at Dhirkot, from where they will proceed towards Muzaffarabad, said a leader of the joint action committee.
Rangers deployed
A contingent of Rangers has also entered the precincts of the capital, Muzaffarabad, to control any emergency situation. The Rangers convoy entered Muzaffarabad via Garhi Habibullah, while the protesters pelted them with stones at Shoran. In response, the police started shelling to disperse them.
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Angry protesters have blocked Abbottabad Road at various places, as Rangers vehicles were diverted back towards Bararkot after the riot.
Contacts resume
Meanwhile, the Awami Joint Action Committee has said that their contacts with the government had been restored, adding that they were holding negotiations over the phone. Committee leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir said the government should issue a notification to approve their three demands.
He further said processions of protesters were gathering at Dhirkot from where they would march towards Muzaffarabad.
On the other hand, the protest leaders arrested in Bhimbar, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, for initiating the long march have been released. Tahir Iqbal, the action committee leader in Samahni, was released late on Sunday night, while the other arrested leaders were expected to be released on Monday.
Internet service continues to be suspended in Bhimbar district due to which people are facing difficulties in communication. All business centres and traffic flow have returned to normal in Bhimbar, Barnala and Samahani.
PM convenes meeting
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is chairing a special meeting on the current situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, the National Assembly speaker, the speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly, and former AJK premier Raja Farooq Haider Khan are among the participants of the meeting.
PM Sharif is receiving a detailed briefing on the situation in Azad Kashmir.
The ongoing strike is emblematic of simmering tensions in the region, as thousands of people have embarked on a long march from Rawalakot towards Muzaffarabad. The march, initiated by leaders of the Awami Joint Action Committee, resumed after negotiations with the government reached a deadlock on Sunday. The protesters spent the night at Dhirkot and other locations before resuming their journey towards Muzaffarabad.
Authorities responded by deploying police forces to prevent the march, with Punjab Rangers stood by as a backup measure. Despite the heightened tensions, the situation in Muzaffarabad remains relatively peaceful on Monday. However, the city's markets remain shuttered, public and private educational institutions are closed, and internet services remain suspended, in accordance with a notification issued the previous night.
There are also reports of announcements being made from mosques in Poonch and Bagh areas, urging residents to join the march towards Muzaffarabad.
