Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is observed as a total strike on Thursday in connection with the recent ordinance issued by the President forbidding peaceful protests.
The educational institutions and shops remain shut, while public transport comes to a halt across the territory following the call for protest by the Jammu & Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC).
This ordinance has attached a seven-year imprisonment for participating in the protests in AJK. Civil society groups and JKJAAC argue that it impairs the constitutional rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, raising the question of public versus civil liberty in the region.
Earlier this week, the AJK Supreme Court granted a temporary suspension of the enforcement of the “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance, 2024.” This followed the admission of two appeals against a high court ruling which had upheld the controversial law.
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In May, the JKJAAC canceled demonstrations against rising inflation, following which the government had approved their demands. Violence ensued during the protests, with at least three fatalities and many injuries reported.
The current protest demonstrates that civil strife is highlighted again over the issue between government institutions and civil society because of the contrived debate concerning fundamental rights on the ordinance’s interpretation.