Muzaffarabad, Pakistan: Azad Kashmir is facing ongoing unrest as deadly protests continue alongside severe shortages of food and medicine, residents of the region's capital Muzaffarabad said on Tuesday, disrupting daily life across the region.
The newly proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) civil rights alliance has led protests against the Azad Kashmir government this month that triggered clashes with law enforcers. As per officials, violent protests in the region have killed 20 since last week, including four law enforcers.
The JAAC is leading the shutter-down strike since last week, staging sit-in protests in Muzaffarabad and other cities. Shops and streets in Azad Kashmir's capital wore a deserted look on Tuesday as the strike persisted.
"I have been given medicine from Ambor Hospital by the doctor, but I have searched the entire city, and I can not find it anywhere," Muhammad Masqeen, a 64-year-old resident, told AFP.
"Even the big store here is closed. I do not know what to do. I do not have enough resources to go to another city to get the medicine.
The JAAC has been protesting against reserved seats in the electoral assembly for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir. The alliance alleges that these seats are used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of the government in Azad Kashmir.
Khawaja Rayaz, a 35-year-old resident of Muzaffarabad, had run out of fuel and was worried that petrol was nowhere to be found.
"We are facing serious difficulties," Rayaz said. "The administration should ensure the supply of petrol for the convenience of the public so that people can maintain mobility and attend to urgent needs during emergencies."
Sabar Hussain, a 60-year-old laborer, said he has been roaming through Muzaffarabad for the past eight days "through very hard times."
"We are not able to find anything to eat except vegetables," he said. "The markets are closed, and we are worried. The children are very upset because there is nothing for them, not even toys."
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said last week that the protests are aimed at disrupting polls scheduled to be held in Azad Kashmir on July 27.
