PoK unrest: 3 killed in firing, teargas shelling by security forces, slogans raised during funeral (WATCH)

Three people lost their lives, and six others sustained injuries when security forces fired upon protesters who had attacked paramilitary Rangers in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The region has been witnessing protests against the soaring prices of wheat flour and inflated electricity bills, according to media reports on Tuesday.

The paramilitary Rangers, deployed to uphold law and order in the disputed area, encountered the attack while moving out of the regional capital, Muzaffarabad, as reported by Dawn newspaper.

The convoy, comprising 19 vehicles, including five trucks, opted to depart from Kohala instead of Brarkot, a village bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the report stated.

As tensions heightened upon the convoy's arrival in Muzaffarabad, it was met with a barrage of rocks near Shorran da Nakka village. In response, teargas was deployed and gunfire ensued, the report detailed.

A social media video, authenticated by Dawn, depicted three Rangers vehicles engulfed in flames along the Muzaffarabad-Brarkot road.

After entering the city via the Western Bypass, the Rangers encountered another barrage of rocks, prompting them to respond with teargas and gunfire. The intensity of the shelling left the entire neighborhood reeling, according to the report.

Divisional Commissioner Muzaffarabad, Sardar Adnan Khurshid, confirmed that at least three individuals had died in the Rangers' firing, with six others sustaining injuries.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a subsidy of Rs 23 billion for immediate release to the region following unsuccessful negotiations between protesters and the regional government on Monday. However, the subsidy's allocation failed to quell the unrest in the region.

The disputed area also experienced clashes on Saturday between police and activists of a rights movement, resulting in the death of at least one police officer and over 100 injuries, primarily among policemen. Since Friday, a complete strike has paralyzed life in the territory.

Shortly before the outbreak of violence, Prime Minister Sharif and the "prime minister" of the disputed region, Anwarul Haq, had agreed to release Rs 23 billion for the region, earmarked for power and wheat subsidies.

Under the new subsidy scheme, the price of a 40kg flour bag will be reduced to Rs 2,000 from Rs 3,100. Additionally, the electricity tariff has been adjusted to Rs 3, Rs 5, and Rs 6 per unit for consumption levels up to 100, 300, and exceeding 300 units, respectively, as per Dawn's report.

The protest, spearheaded by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), is primarily driven by traders across various parts of the region. They have been advocating for electricity tariffs aligned with hydropower generation costs, subsidized wheat flour, and an end to privileges enjoyed by the elite class.

Following the government's announcement of subsidies, movement leaders stated that they would deliberate on the matter upon receipt of official notifications. These notifications swiftly circulated on social media platforms.

On Tuesday, the JAAC terminated the ongoing protests, citing the government's concession to "all the demands of the protesters," as affirmed by JAAC head Shaukat Nawaz Mir. He urged demonstrators to disperse and resume normal activities.

"The shutter-down strike is being called off," Mir declared.

Addressing a gathering on Monday evening, Mir emphasized that their legal team would meticulously assess the government's notifications to ensure compliance with their demands.

“If these notifications do not fulfil legal requirements in accordance with our charter of demand, we, the joint action committee members will unanimously decide our next course of action tonight,” he said.

Mir further demanded financial compensation for the families of the three protesters and the police official who lost their lives during the violence.

In the aftermath of the unrest, the bodies of two of the deceased protesters were transported by their relatives to the vicinity of Eidgah. There, expressions of discontent against the government and the civil armed forces reverberated through slogans chanted by the gathering.

"There is tension and anger in the air," remarked Adil Hameed, a resident of the old city of Muzaffarabad. Reports from various towns in Pakistan-administered Kashmir indicated that people had organized demonstrations to voice their outrage and indignation regarding the killings in Muzaffarabad.