By Omer
On the call of Awami Action Committee, Kashmir witnessed another wave of historical protests and strikes. Thousands of men, women, and youth participated in the protests. Every town, district, and city in all three divisions (Poonch, Muzaffarabad, and Mirpur) saw a total shutdown, and rallies were organized. This new wave of protests came after the state’s crackdown and arrests of leaders of the Awami Action Committee across Pakistan Administered Kashmir. The call for boycotting electricity bills continues successfully, with 78% of bills not submitted. This boycott will continue until all demands are met.
The protesters demand free electricity, which is 400 megawatts out of the 3000+ megawatts being produced in Kashmir. Furthermore, they are demanding the resumption of flour subsidies and the stripping of unnecessary government privileges for bureaucrats, ministers, judges, and other state functionaries.
A number of working-class and socialist organizations, including Trade Union Leaders, Revolutionary Students Front-RSF , Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign -PTUDC, International Socialist League – ISL, Socialismo y Libertad (SOL), Revolução Socialista/PSOL, and Workers International Network -WIN from Pakistan, Spain, Brazil, Argentina and around the world, have extended their solidarity to the masses of Kashmir and vowed to stand with their comrades of Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation – JKNSF, People Revolutionary Front – PRF, Joint Awami Action Committee and members of other political organizations against the brutality of state.
Moving forward, on 10th October, women’s marches will be organized, and on 17th October, students are going to march across Kashmir according to the strategy drafted by the Awami Action Committee. The recent movement of Kashmiri working-class, poor masses, and youth is a step forward in the fight against imperialist occupation, capitalist exploitation, and national oppression in the region. A victory for the movement will be a victory for the working class across the region, and a defeat will be a defeat for all.