Nine people were killed and a dozen wounded in renewed clashes between supporters of a banned protest group and security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, an official said on Wednesday. The violence erupted as supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a movement demanding economic and governance reforms, attempted to march towards the regional capital Muzaffarabad despite official warnings.
Sardar Waheed, the top civilian official in Poonch district, reported that seven civilians, one paramilitary personnel, and one police officer were killed during the violence on Tuesday. The authorities have vowed to stop the march if protesters attempt to proceed towards the capital.
The unrest follows a local government ban on the JAAC under anti-terrorism laws in June, after which clashes between protesters and police killed 22 people, according to an AFP tally of official figures. Supporters of the group have rejected the "terror" designation, calling it an act of "oppression" and insisting their campaign seeks legitimate economic and political rights.
Sit-ins by protesters have continued for more than a month in different parts of the region, and authorities have sealed the JAAC's main office and arrested hundreds of its supporters. Shops remained largely shut and public transport suspended across Poonch as protesters maintained road blockades.
The JAAC has demanded the abolishment of 12 seats in the local legislature reserved for those who left what is now the India-administered portion of Kashmir. The group argues that these seats are used by major Pakistani political parties to tip the composition of the local parliament in their favor with those who mostly reside outside the region. The next regional elections are set for late July.
