Rising power tariffs and taxes fuelled protests in many areas of the country including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The issue is persistent because receiving inflated electricity bills each month will send a wave of anguish among both traders and home consumers. Protests in Muzaffarabad and other cities and districts of AJK must be paid due heed so that the protests do not escalate. Organised by various people’s action committees and civil society, it must be recognised that these demonstrationsrepresent legitimate concerns and a crackdown might not be a sufficient answer.
There is no denying the fact that the country is facing a major economic challenge where decisions such as power tariff hikes have become a necessity. But it is very important to communicate this urgency to common people and traders and to win their trust during this crucial and sensitive time of economic instability. If the unease among people is left to its own devices, the possible outcome will be more protests and sit-ins. Negotiation and effective communication of the challenges at hand will ensure cooperation from traders, businessmen, and home consumers of electricity.
Fair and equal treatment must be meted out to the people of Muzaffarabad and AJK. A sense of unfair treatment will heighten their other grievances. People shutting down their shops in protest will further harm the economic cycle. But instead of forcing them to keep shops open and not protest, a wiser course of action for the government is to sit with their representatives and hear their troubles. Such a negotiation will be an equal chance for the government to apprise traders of AJK of the necessity of tariff hikes and how the effects can be mitigated.
The burden of inflation is undoubtedly heavy for small-scale traders and common people. Managing rising commodity prices and also having to pay electricity bills with additional taxes is a combination that no one is happy with. The resentment is natural and legitimate. In times such as these, inculcating a stronger sense of nationhood must be a priority. Muzaffarabad and AJK must be given due respect and people should not be made to feel side-lined by the government.