The International Socialist League and our sections on five continents send all our solidarity to the people of Kashmir in struggle. Below we reproduce the statement issued by the Awami Action Committee that our comrades of The Struggle, ISL section in Pakistan, have sent us.
Awami Action Committee is a movement started from Rawalakot on 9th May with the representation of different traders, transporters, students and civil society organizations and political parties. The Committee set up sit-in protest camps all across the Kashmir. Workers, masses, women and youth from all over the Kashmir joined this movement that demanded to cut down the electricity prices, as Kashmir is the producer of 3190 megawatts, and there are projects under way for the additional 5000 megawatts. Yet, the state is not willing to accommodate the region with only 354 megawatts demand, as per the agreement deeds held during the construction of various dams in Kashmir region. Instead, the state imposed multiple taxes in electricity bills.
During the last five months the masses are continuously protesting against these imperialist taxes on electricity bills and other basic food items. During the last two months, the masses refused to pay electricity bills and resist with the formation of Awami Action Committee and submitted their electricity bills to protest camps of Action Committee.
The scope and impact of this movement was so wide that it inspired sparks within Pakistan. Thousands had protested against expensive electricity bills in almost every big city of Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Swat, Multan, Jampur, Sadiqabad, Hyderabad, Dadu and many others. Also, a Pakistan Awami Action committee came into formation.
Awami Action Committee is a movement started from Rawalakot on 9th May with the representation of different traders, transporters, students and civil society organizations and political parties. The Committee set up sit-in protest camps all across the Kashmir. Workers, masses, women and youth from all over the Kashmir joined this movement that demanded to cut down the electricity prices, as Kashmir is the producer of 3190 megawatts, and there are projects under way for the additional 5000 megawatts. Yet, the state is not willing to accommodate the region with only 354 megawatts demand, as per the agreement deeds held during the construction of various dams in Kashmir region. Instead, the state imposed multiple taxes in electricity bills.
During the last five months the masses are continuously protesting against these imperialist taxes on electricity bills and other basic food items. During the last two months, the masses refused to pay electricity bills and resist with the formation of Awami Action Committee and submitted their electricity bills to protest camps of Action Committee.
The scope and impact of this movement was so wide that it inspired sparks within Pakistan. Thousands had protested against expensive electricity bills in almost every big city of Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Swat, Multan, Jampur, Sadiqabad, Hyderabad, Dadu and many others. Also, a Pakistan Awami Action committee came into formation.