Residents of Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir [PoJK], respond to the protests with a mix of concern and determination. As people deeply affected by the unrest stressed the need for a solution to deal with basic grievances, intense protests and violence continued for several days resulting in the deaths of three people in PoJK. The protesters announced to call off the protests on Tuesday after the Pakistan government accepted their demands and announced a huge relief package. Locals blamed government incompetence for the increase in violence during the protests and said that if the government had addressed these demands earlier, the protests would not have reached such a large scale. such levels of intensity
Raja Amin, a local resident, while talking about various issues related to PoJK, said, “This whole issue revolves around fundamental rights.Its aim was not to destabilize the country.'' The entire protest was focused on ensuring access to essential commodities like flour, water. And electricity. The purpose of the protest was only to emphasize that the UN has given concessions to PoJK on electricity, wheat and many other necessities, with PoJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq receiving backlash for his management of the protest. Along with allegations of mishandling of the situation, Raj accused Anwar of deceiving the public and making false commitments. “Anwar has deceived the public on previous occasions and failed to deliver on his promises.Despite giving written assurances that the demands would be met, he eventually reneged. When the agitation resumed, he mishandled the situation, hence, he is responsible for all the chaos.'' Recent Violent Protests in PoJK Demonstrations and clashes occurred, in which protesters expressed grievances related to governance and rights. These incidents included clashes between protesters and security forces, resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. The unrest has underlined the growing discontent among PoJK residents, who have long felt marginalized and voiceless under the territory's governance structure, with issues such as political repression, lack of access to power, and political repression. Limited access to representation and basic resources has fueled frustration and anger among the public.In response to the protests in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif was forced to announce immediate relief measures given the urgency of the situation. On 13 May, Prime Minister Shahbaz announced a subsidy package of Rs 23 billion for POJ. A high level meeting was called regarding the unrest in the valley. The price of wheat flour was reduced from PKR 3100 to PKR 2000 per 40 kg bag. Apart from this, the government also approved reduction in electricity prices, ARY News reported.
Raja Amin, a local resident, while talking about various issues related to PoJK, said, “This whole issue revolves around fundamental rights.Its aim was not to destabilize the country.'' The entire protest was focused on ensuring access to essential commodities like flour, water. And electricity. The purpose of the protest was only to emphasize that the UN has given concessions to PoJK on electricity, wheat and many other necessities, with PoJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq receiving backlash for his management of the protest. Along with allegations of mishandling of the situation, Raj accused Anwar of deceiving the public and making false commitments. “Anwar has deceived the public on previous occasions and failed to deliver on his promises.Despite giving written assurances that the demands would be met, he eventually reneged. When the agitation resumed, he mishandled the situation, hence, he is responsible for all the chaos.'' Recent Violent Protests in PoJK Demonstrations and clashes occurred, in which protesters expressed grievances related to governance and rights. These incidents included clashes between protesters and security forces, resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. The unrest has underlined the growing discontent among PoJK residents, who have long felt marginalized and voiceless under the territory's governance structure, with issues such as political repression, lack of access to power, and political repression. Limited access to representation and basic resources has fueled frustration and anger among the public.In response to the protests in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif was forced to announce immediate relief measures given the urgency of the situation. On 13 May, Prime Minister Shahbaz announced a subsidy package of Rs 23 billion for POJ. A high level meeting was called regarding the unrest in the valley. The price of wheat flour was reduced from PKR 3100 to PKR 2000 per 40 kg bag. Apart from this, the government also approved reduction in electricity prices, ARY News reported.
