MUZAFFARABAD: Residents of Azad Kashmir have been rushing to buy food and other essential supplies amid fears of prolonged disruptions following deadly clashes between protesters and security forces, with many stocking up on weeks’ worth of provisions as political tensions continue to simmer across the region.
The buying spree follows some of the worst unrest in recent years in the Himalayan territory, which lies within the broader Kashmir territory claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but administered in parts by each. At least 11 people were killed and more than 70 injured in clashes in Rawalakot over the weekend, according to officials and media reports, amid a dispute over seats reserved in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir and their descendants living elsewhere in Pakistan.
The unrest is linked to a campaign by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a civil rights alliance that has led protests in recent years over economic and political issues in the region. The group is demanding the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees, arguing that they allow Pakistan’s mainstream political parties to influence government formation in the territory ahead of elections scheduled for July 27.
Authorities last week declared the JAAC a proscribed organization under anti-terrorism legislation after tensions escalated, while officials have accused its supporters of attacking security personnel during the latest violence. The group rejects those allegations and says security forces used excessive force against protesters.
Amid uncertainty over how the situation may evolve, residents said they were taking precautions by stocking up on flour, cooking oil and other household necessities.
“Due to concerns about a possible lockdown, people are purchasing more supplies than usual, as no one knows how long the situation may last,” shopkeeper Muneeb Haider told AFP.
“Those who would normally buy 10 kilograms of an item are now buying 20 kilograms as a precaution. Because of the uncertainty, many people are trying to stock up on essential goods.”
Haider said demand had risen significantly in recent days as families prepared for the possibility of further disruptions.
“People are purchasing items in larger quantities, while the good news is that these goods are still available at reasonable prices,” he said.
Local resident Usman Ahmad said uncertainty surrounding the unrest had prompted many households to prepare for an extended period of disruption.
“Because of the lockdown, we are buying essential goods, and there is no idea how long it will last, it could even take a month,” Ahmad said.
“That’s why we are purchasing necessary items in advance. The situation is uncertain.”
The latest unrest follows months of tension between the regional government and the JAAC, which gained prominence through demonstrations over rising electricity prices and flour costs. Large-scale protests led by the group last year prompted authorities to announce subsidies and relief measures after clashes that left several people dead.
The dispute has now shifted to the region’s electoral system, with courts and political leaders weighing in on the future of the reserved refugee seats as campaigning intensifies ahead of next month’s vote.
JAAC’s campaign suffered a setback on Sunday when the AJK Supreme Court observed that the seats enjoy constitutional protection and cannot be abolished through executive or administrative action.
