Islamabad: After days of violent unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the federal government and protesters Saturday signed an agreement to end the ongoing demonstrations that have left at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured.
Violence marred the peace of the region due to a strike, which began September 29 when talks broke down between officials and leaders of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), a representative body of protestors.
The protestors had issued a charter of 38 points, urging the authorities to accept them or they would take to the roads, which they did eventually, leading to violent clashes with police that killed at least 10 people, including three police personnel. Hundreds of policemen and civilians were injured in the protests.
As the unrest widened, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dispatched a high-powered delegation to Muzaffarabad Wednesday to find a negotiated solution to the problem.
The team, led by former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, engaged in extensive discussions for two consecutive days, which concluded around midnight. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced on social media that an agreement had been reached between the two sides.
“Negotiating delegation has signed the final agreement with the Action Committee…. The protesters are returning to their homes. All roads have been reopened. This is a victory for peace,” he posed on X.
The copy of the agreement shared by Chaudhry on X showed that a detailed document with 25 points was signed to end the protest, including compensation for those killed in violence, registering cases of terrorism on the incidents of violence and vandalism resulting in deaths of police personnel and protestors.
The federal government also agreed to set up two additional intermediate and secondary educational boards for Muzaffarabad and Poonch divisions in PoK.
It was decided that the local government would issue funds for the implementation of health cards within 15 days for free treatment of patients and that MRI and CT Scans machines shall be provided, phase-wise, at each district of PoK by the federal government.
It was also agreed that the federal government would provide PKR 10 billion for the improvement of the electricity system in PoK.
The size of the cabinet in PoK shall be reduced to 20 ministers and advisors, and the number of administrative secretaries shall not be more than 20 at any given time. Some departments would be merged to reduce the size of the government.
It was agreed that the Government of Pakistan shall carry out a feasibility study for the construction of two tunnels at Kahori/Kamser (3.7 KM) and Chaplani (0.6 KM) of the Neelum Valley road.
It was also decided that a high-powered committee comprising legal and constitutional experts will deliberate on the issue of members of the PoK Assembly.
It was also agreed that steps would be taken for the construction of an international airport at Mirpur.
They also decided that taxes on the transfer of property shall be brought at par with Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within 3 months.
A monitoring and Implementation committee will be set up to oversee and implement the agreement.
Friday was the fifth consecutive day of a shutdown, with public transport paralysed. Only motorcycles and a few private vehicles were seen on some roads. The communications blackout imposed on Sunday persisted, drawing growing resentment from residents.
PTI
