In Pakistan occuppied Kashmir, PoK, four people were killed and more than 100 were injured following violent clashes with the Pakistani forces. According to the authorities, at least two of the victims died from gunshot wounds, while one of the four people who died was a police officer.

Thousands of protesters have been on the streets since Friday to protest against the high prices of basic essentials like flour and the severe power cuts in the area. The protests soon turned violent when demonstrators and the police battled. Following the intense violence over the weekend, the PoK government imposed Section 144, shutting down schools, public transportation, businesses and also suspending mobile communications in the area.

Pakistan’s economy has been witnessing an extremely high inflation and dismal economic growth for more than two years due to rising energy costs. Consumer inflation has been above 20 percent since May 2022, and touched 38 percent in May 2023.