March in Pakistan-administered Kashmir pauses after deadly clashes
Al Jazeera reported that at least nine people were killed as a protest movement faced heavy security before a planned march on Muzaffarabad.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
At least nine people were killed Tuesday in Pakistan-administered Kashmir as clashes disrupted a planned protest march toward the regional capital, Muzaffarabad, Al Jazeera reported. The violence adds pressure to a tense political dispute weeks before elections scheduled for July 27.
Officials told Al Jazeera that security forces raided a house near Rawalakot in Poonch district after receiving information about suspected weapons. They said the officers came under fire during the operation, and one officer was killed.
Authorities said a separate confrontation in Sudhnoti district began when protesters stopped a security convoy. Officials said the convoy was hit with stones and gunfire; seven protesters and one police officer were killed. Police officials told Al Jazeera that security personnel responded in self-defence.
Protesters remain in Rawalakot
The protest movement, organized under the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, had said marchers would leave for Muzaffarabad on Wednesday afternoon. Officials told Al Jazeera that the demonstrators were still in Rawalakot by Wednesday evening.
The regional government has sharply limited internet and phone services, Al Jazeera reported, making direct contact with protesters more difficult. Munir Qureshi, the deputy commissioner of Muzaffarabad, told Al Jazeera that the capital and nearby areas were calm, with restricted internet access tied to security concerns.
Liaqat Ali Malik, the inspector general of police for Azad Jammu and Kashmir, told Al Jazeera that authorities estimated the Rawalakot crowd at between 3,000 and 4,000 people. He said there had been no violence Wednesday.
Authorities said about 4,000 police and paramilitary personnel had been deployed across the region before the planned march. Poonch Commissioner Khan told Al Jazeera that marchers would not be allowed to pass through Rawalakot and would have to use mountain routes if they tried to reach Muzaffarabad.
Reserved seats drive dispute
Al Jazeera reported that the unrest stems from a dispute over 12 seats in the regional legislature reserved for Kashmiri refugees who moved to Pakistan after 1947 and now live outside Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The JAAC says those seats give Pakistan-based parties influence over the regional government and divert development funds meant for the area.
The region’s Supreme Court ruled last month that the reserved seats have constitutional protection and cannot be removed without a constitutional amendment, according to Al Jazeera. The decision intensified the JAAC’s campaign.
Officials told Al Jazeera that at least 28 people have been killed and 79 injured since protests began on June 4. The JAAC was proscribed under anti-terrorism laws on June 5, and deadly protests have recurred in the region since then, Al Jazeera reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.