ISLAMABAD: The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) protesters, demanding subsidized atta (wheat flour) and power (as per the hydro-power generation cost in the Valley) called off their 5-day-long violent manifestation on Tuesday (14th May, 2024) following PM’s orders on Monday to release Rs. 23 billion immediately in order to meet their demands.
MUZAFFARABAD: JAAC also asked the traders to keep the shutter down till 3PM on Tuesday to pay homage to those killed. It may be recalled that the 5-day clashes with Police and paramilitary Rangers claimed lives of one Sub Inspector and three protesters. 100 cops and civilians too got gravely injured.
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Cowed-down by the people of AJK’s violent demonstrations GoP had decided on Monday (13th May, 2024) to immediately release Rs. 23 billion in order to fulfill the demand (apropos reversing the decision regarding augmenting the prices of power and flour).
PM Shehbaz Sharif, chaired a special meeting called to ponder over the AJK protests. Following which he ordered immediate release of the amount to contain the people’s unbridled anger that claimed 2 lives (including that of a Sub Inspector).
According to details from now on AJK people will get a bag of flour weighing 40 kgs for Rs. 2000 instead of Rs. 3100. Subsidized rates for the power will be: 1-100 units: Rs. 3 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for domestic users.
100-300 units: Rs. 5/kWh for domestic users; 300 units: Rs. 10/kWh for commercial users; More than 300 units: Rs. 6/kWh for domestic users, Rs. 15/kWh for commercial users.
Due to the clashes with the LEA’s in Muzaffarabad one man got injured who later died. Some one hundred people got severely injured while 2 died so far during these protests. Net services have again been suspended.
APP Adds: PM on Tuesday (14th May, 2024) expressed his deep grief and sorrow over loss of lives during the protest incidents in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and announced that he would visit Muzaffarabad within few days to hold further consultations over the issue.
Addressing the participants of the federal cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that it was a matter of immense pain that few people lost their lives during the protest, besides damage caused to buildings.
“It was a very unfortunate incident,” he said, adding that a police officer also lost his life, besides a number of personnel of law enforcement agencies were also hurt.
“Azad Jammu and Kashmir is a jugular vein of Pakistan as declared by Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” he added.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Maqam Tuesday (14th May, 2024) said that the timely decision of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has saved from the major incident and bloodshed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Addressing a press conference, he said that as per the demands of the Kashmiris 36 vehicles and 213 employees of the Kashmir council have been transferred to the Kashmir government and all pending issues of the government of Azad Jammu Kashmir would be resolved on a priority basis.
Amir Maqam said that the Kashmir Council fund of Rs 7.6 billion had been transferred to the Kashmir government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the Rs 23 billion for the subsidiary on flour and electricity signed a proper agreement and issued the notification of new rates of flour and power tariff.
The minister said that the demand of Kashmiris about the charges on water resources of the valley would be addressed within 30 days.
He said that a financial assistance package would be provided to the families of those who lost their lives in the five-day-long agitation.
Newspakistan.tv/APP
