MUZAFFARABAD (MNN); Traders and transporters in Muzaffarabad division have announced the restoration of normal business activities and public transport services from Sunday after receiving assurances from the administration regarding security and uninterrupted fuel supplies.
Speaking at a joint press conference, representatives of traders’ associations and the transporters’ union also declared that they were distancing themselves from the recently proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). They said the movement had initially focused on public welfare issues, including subsidised electricity and flour, but had later shifted towards political and constitutional matters that fell outside the mandate of traders and transporters.
The leaders urged protesters to resolve disputes through dialogue, appealed to shopkeepers to reopen businesses, and called on the authorities to restore internet services to support commercial activities.
Following the announcement, several shops in different parts of Muzaffarabad reopened on Saturday, although business activity remained limited.
Meanwhile, residents in Hajira, Poonch division, staged a protest demanding the removal of road blockades linking the town with Rawalakot and Abbaspur. They warned they would clear the roads themselves if they remained blocked.
Trader representatives said constitutional issues, including the demand to abolish the 12 reserved seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, should be resolved through democratic and legal channels rather than protests.
Transport Operators Union President Khawaja Azam Rasool said transport services had remained suspended due to security concerns, road blockades and fuel shortages rather than support for the strike. He confirmed that public transport across Muzaffarabad division would resume from Sunday following the administration’s assurances.
The business community also reaffirmed its support for Pakistan’s institutions and armed forces while urging authorities to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies and restore internet connectivity to help revive economic activity.