MUZAFFARABAD: Life began returning to norm­al in Azad Jammu and Kash­mir’s (AJK) capital on Mon­­day after traders and transporters ended their weeks-long shutdown, with commercial activity resuming in many parts of the city and public transport returning to the roads.

The reopening followed a joint decision by the central traders’ body and transporters’ representatives after the region had remained largely paraly­s­­ed since June 9 due to a strike called by the prosc­ribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

Although traders estimated that between 50 and 70 per cent of businesses had resumed operations across Muzaffar­ab­­ad, they said the restoration of commercial activity remained far from com­­plete because of the continued suspension of internet services, disruption of online banking, limited banking operations and the shortage of fuel.

The city’s major roads, deserted for weeks, witnessed the return of regular traffic, while passenger transport services resumed on local and inter-district routes.

In the downtown commercial district, however, business activity remai­ned patchy. In Madina Market, unstitched clothing, cosmetics and electronics, only about 30pc of shops had reopened.

By contrast, markets dea­­ling in essential commodities, as well as pharmacies, laboratories and cli­­­nics alo­ng CMH Road, were operating almost normally.

Several traders compla­i­ned that the administration had sealed some shops for failing to reopen without taking into account the practical difficulties facing business owners.

The prolonged suspensi­­on of internet services has rendered digital banking largely inoperative, forcing many businesses that dep­end on electronic transactions to either scale down or suspend their operations.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026