Six protesters, three policemen killed in Azad Kashmir unrest as government calls for dialogue
ISLAMABAD: At least six protesters and three policemen have been killed in days of protests in Azad Kashmir, the region’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Wednesday, with the government urging the demonstrators to return to dialogue with authorities.
The statement came hours after Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq appealed for an end to protests organized by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) in the disputed northern region since Sept. 29, saying the government is ready to talk to the protesters.
The call to resume dialogue followed shutter-down strikes, wheel-jam protests and clashes across Azad Kashmir. The JKJAAC civil rights alliance is demanding an end to special allowances for government officials and the supply of electricity and wheat at discounted rates, similar to subsidies in other parts of Pakistan.
The protests have turned violent over the course of the last three days as protesters and police came face to face and clashed at various locations. JKJAAC leaders accuse the government of reneging on promises and say at least 12 people have been killed, claims denied by regional authorities.
