A police officer was fatally shot during clashes with protesters in Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as demonstrations led by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) against high electricity bills and taxes continued into their second day.
All across AJK, markets, schools, trade centres, offices, and restaurants remained closed in response to the AAC’s call for a comprehensive strike. A significant police presence was deployed around Madina Market, the focal point for a reception of the long march participants.
Access routes to Muzaffarabad were sealed with barricades along Shahrah-e-Srinagar, with heavy police contingents stationed along the key roads.
The demonstrations escalated into violence near Islam Garh as protesters and police clashed. The police reported that protesters fired at them while attempting to block their progress, resulting in AJK police’s ASI Adnan Qureshi being shot in the chest.
ASI Qureshi later died from his injuries in the hospital, and three protesters sustained severe injuries.
Additional injuries occurred during the confrontations in Kotli, where police tear gas and stone pelting by demonstrators led to multiple injuries among both officers and protesters. The unrest also damaged several vehicles, including a magistrate’s car on the Poonch-Kotli road.
Earlier incidents of clashes were reported at Tanga Stand, Aziz Chowk and Shah Sultan Bridge in Muzaffarabad.
In response to the violence, police arrested dozens in AJK’s capital following a series of confrontations that injured over 40 people, including 11 policemen, on Friday.
In light of the ongoing protests, the AJK government prohibited all public gatherings, rallies, and processions across the districts, and Section 144 was imposed throughout the region.
