MUZAFFARABAD: Shops reopened and mobile services resumed in Azad Kashmir’s capital on Saturday after days of violent anti-government protests ended under a deal between demonstrators and authorities.
The agreement followed nearly a week of unrest led by traders and civil rights groups demanding better public services and subsidies in the disputed region that is part of the larger Himalayan valley of Kashmir claimed by both India and Pakistan.
Thousands had taken to the streets in Muzaffarabad and nearby towns, calling for reforms in electricity pricing and government spending. Clashes between protesters and security forces left at least six civilians and three police officers dead, officials said.
Kashmir, divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from Britain in 1947, has a long history of political discontent. In the latest protests, demonstrators accused local leaders in Azad Kashmir of neglecting health, education and infrastructure while prioritizing perks for officials. Under the agreement that ended the unrest, Islamabad pledged new projects wort $35 million to upgrade electricity supplies and other public services.
“Our demands have been accepted, and this is the result of our long struggle,” said Choudhury Rafiqe Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Muzaffarabad.
“Most of our issues have been resolved, and this has been made possible by the grace of Allah. Even though we suffered losses in our businesses along the way, we have no regrets, because what has been achieved is in the interest of the nation, and we are proud of it.”
Another resident, Shujat Kazmi, said the movement had exposed the disconnect between political elites and ordinary citizens and praised the Joint Awami Action Committee civil alliance that led the protests.
“The Awami Action Committee is the only force that truly represents the people,” he said. “Political parties have become irrelevant because they have abandoned their original agenda. They were engaged in self-serving politics, flattering the ruling elite, and pursuing personal gains instead of speaking for the public.”
He said it was only the Awami Action Committee and the people who took matters into their own hands.
“The people had, in a way, sparked a new revolution,” Kazmi said.
Officials said calm had returned to Muzaffarabad as roads were cleared, businesses reopened, and communication lines restored. The government said it would continue talks with community representatives to prevent a repeat of the unrest.
