In response to last week’s protests in Muzaffarabad, India has attributed the unrest to Pakistan’s ongoing policy of “systemic plundering of resources” in the region.
The Indian government emphasized that the Union territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh “have been, are, and shall always remain integral parts of India.”
The violent protests in Muzaffarabad erupted due to soaring costs of food, fuel, and essential utilities amid Pakistan’s severe economic crisis.
“We have seen reports on protests in several areas,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, during his weekly media briefing. He was responding to questions regarding the protests in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
He said, “We believe that it is a natural consequence of Pakistan’s continued policy of systemic plundering of resources from these territories which remain under its forcible and illegal occupation.”
Protests were reported from various regions of Neelum, Rawalkot, and Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Dadyal, Bagh.
The Pakistani Army was called in to address the protests, which reportedly involved damage to public property, as per reports from Pakistani media.
The protesters led by Awami Action committee, a body formed seven months ago, have raised seven key demands which includes the increase in flour allotment to the region, cutting down of electricity charges, roll back of property tax.
“The electricity tariff should be fixed according to the cost of production of electricity generated from Mangala Hydropower Project in Kashmir,” read a memorandum submitted by the protesters to the government of Pakistan Administered Kashmir.
“The government expenditure should be reduced, ban on student unions should be removed, Kashmir Bank should be scheduled, Property transfer tax should be reduced in Kashmir. – Accountability Bureau should be formed in Kashmir and the cutting of green trees should be banned immediately,” read the demand list.
Protests have pacified as the government of Pakistan has agreed to at least two demands which includes reducing the prices of flour to 1000 PKR/ 20 kilogram (14.95 INR/ KG). The prices of electricity have been brought down to 0.90 (3PKR) per unit.