ISLAMABAD– At least two people were killed and 22 others injured Monday as violent clashes broke out in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), amid large-scale protests against the Pakistani government.
According to reports, groups allegedly backed by the Pakistani army and the ISI-supported Muslim Conference opened fire on demonstrators demanding basic rights. Videos broadcast on Pakistani news channels and circulated on social media showed chaotic scenes: protesters waving flags and chanting slogans, men firing into the air, and crowds climbing onto vehicles in the middle of the unrest. One protester displayed a handful of spent bullets in a widely shared clip.
The violence followed a call for a strike by the Public Action Committee, which has presented a 38-point list of demands. Shops, markets, hotels, and transport services were shuttered across the region, while schools reported empty classrooms as students stayed home. Communication services were severely disrupted, with internet, mobile, and even telephone lines cut off for a second consecutive day, leaving residents largely cut off from the outside world.
The demands put forward by the Public Action Committee include the abolition of 12 reserved seats for refugees and the withdrawal of privileges granted to political elites. The group has vowed to continue its protests and hold a rally later in the day.
In response, Pakistani authorities deployed heavy security. Over the weekend, convoys of armed police and paramilitary forces staged flag marches across district headquarters in PoK. Security personnel were stationed at city entry and exit points, with heightened surveillance at sensitive locations, Dawn newspaper reported.
Islamabad police were also directed to provide reinforcements. The capital’s police chief pledged an additional 1,000 officers after orders were issued by the federal government and other concerned authorities. (Source: IANS)
