Rawalakot, June 09: Unrest has broken out again in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Violence has broken out after the authorities banned the socio-political organisation Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
At least 11 people were killed and over 70 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces in Rawalakot ahead of the bandh organised on June 10, a news agency reported.
The violence reportedly broke out when JAAC supporters gathered outside the hospital morgue where the body of a fellow activist who was killed in an earlier firing incident was being kept.
Police and paramilitary forces have been trying to disperse protesters affiliated with the JAC since the regional administration last week banned it under anti-terrorism laws. Four police personnel and a passerby were killed in clashes, Reuters news agency reported.
Why are the protests taking place?
The latest unrest was sparked by the administration’s decision to reserve 12 seats in the 45-member legislative assembly for refugees living outside Kashmir but elsewhere in Pakistan. The JAAC argues that the move weakens local representation. It has also demanded the abolition of the reserved seats. The organization is also protesting against inflation, power shortages, unemployment and other issues.
The organization has held several protests in the past two years against rising electricity and flour prices, many of which have ended in clashes with security forces. The JAAC had called for the protest today to protest against the ban on the JAAC, internet restrictions and the killing of one of its leaders.
Meanwhile, JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir has accused the government of “massacre” in Rawalakot and vowed to continue the protest despite the ban.
The unrest has drawn international attention, with countries including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada warning travellers about the deteriorating security situation in the region.