The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an alliance of civil rights groups, called off a protest march on Tuesday in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The protests were halted after days of clashes over high prices, which resulted in four deaths and over 100 injuries, officials said.
The protesters ended the march a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a 23 billion rupee grant. This grant aimed to meet most of their demands, including subsidies on flour and electricity prices.
JAAC head Shaukat Nawaz Mir announced the decision in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the scenic Himalayan region. “The government has accepted all of our demands,” he stated, urging protesters to return home and resume their businesses.
Mir also demanded financial compensation for the families of three protesters and a police official killed in the violence. The protesters died on Monday evening when Rangers opened fire after being attacked.
The committee announced a ‘day of mourning’ for the three killed. Officials and witnesses reported that at least six others sustained injuries following firing and teargas shelling by Rangers in the state capital.
Read: Government Subsidy Fails to Pacify AJK as Protests Turn Deadly
The protests coincided with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission’s visit to negotiate a new long-term loan with Islamabad. The IMF warned that social tensions from the high cost of living could hinder policy implementation.
 called off its protest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a 23 billion rupee subsidy to address high prices, following days of violent clashes.){kind=link}