Markets reopened in major cities like Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, while a citizen was shot dead by unidentified armed individuals in Qallan Bazaar during ongoing protests.
Normal life returned to several major urban centers across Azad Kashmir on October 5 as the indefinite shutter-down and wheel-jam strike called by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) witnessed a mixed response across different regions.
While commercial centers and transport remained operational in the Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions—with the exception of Dadyal—the impact of the Action Committee’s call remained visible in areas where its influence is strong. Local reports indicated that business activities were also restricted in Dadyal and Khursheedabad in Haveli.
Amid the developing situation, a fatal shooting occurred in Qallan Bazaar near Baloch, where a citizen was killed by unidentified armed individuals. According to eyewitnesses, an off-road vehicle traveled from Hajira toward Trarkhel and later headed toward the Baloch India Morh area during the afternoon.
Local sources claimed that armed individuals inside the vehicle opened fire in the Trarkhel bazaar and subsequently at various other locations along the route. Eyewitnesses in Qallan Bazaar stated that when a local resident attempted to record a video of the vehicle, occupants opened fire, resulting in the immediate death of the civilian. The identity of the attackers and the precise motive behind the shooting remain unverified, while local sources noted that the vehicle traveled along a route where no Action Committee checkpoints or road barriers were established.
Meanwhile, student demonstrations were reported on October 5 inside the Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST) campus, indicating that protest sentiments persist despite the resumption of commercial activities in some markets.
In Bagh, the Action Committee alleged that local authorities sealed the shop of a trader named Waleed Shoukat at the Lari Adda, leading to the shop remaining shut in protest. The administration's perspective on this administrative action was not immediately available.
The events of October 5 underscore the complex dynamics of the ongoing protests in the region, characterized by a partial return to normalcy in major cities alongside localized restrictions, continued student activism, and a fatal security incident that has heightened regional concern.