Protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) turned deadly this week, with three people killed and more than a dozen injured during clashes with security forces. The violence erupted amid a total shutdown across the region, as angry crowds demanded action from the government.
In Muzaffarabad, the heart of PoJK, demonstrators clashed fiercely with authorities. One protester, Sadheer Awan from Neelum, lost his life. Among the injured from gunfire were Mushtaaq Ahmed from Channri, Ibrar from Jalalabad, and others including Aasher, M Zulfiqaar, Bisharat, Islam Allah, Ahmed, Anees Ur Rehman, Nadeem Abbasi, and more.
Shaukat Nawaz Mir, president of the Joint Awami Action Committee, spoke out from Muzaffarabad, blasting state institutions for targeting peaceful protesters. “Right now, the state is out to kill its own people,” he said. “We have evidence against the government, administration, goons, and terrorists. Even the police stand with us.” Mir also slammed Pakistani media for spreading false news while real violence unfolds on the ground.
The unrest stems from the government’s refusal to meet long-standing demands from the Joint Awami Action Committee for better rights and services. Shutdowns and rallies quickly spread to Mirpur, Kotli, and beyond, drawing huge crowds fed up with what they call ignored pleas for justice. These protests mark some of the strongest public backlash in PoJK in years.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the opposition party, jumped in with strong online support, calling out the Anwar-led government for incompetence and crackdowns. “Sara in Mirpur is protesting against her rights and this failed Anwar government,” PTI posted on X. They shared videos alleging state-backed thugs from the rival Muslim Conference fired on unarmed crowds, leaving four seriously hurt.
In Plandri, locals rose up for basic rights, with PTI linking it to wider frustrations. Demonstrations hit Dadyal hard too, where authorities blocked the Plak Bridge, stranding patients and travelers despite promises to keep roads open during the shutdown. “This Anwar administration is making life hell for the sick,” PTI charged.
The chaos reached Bhimber, Prime Minister Anwar Haq’s own area, where protesters chanted against rights violations and the government. Thousands joined a sit-in in Dadyal, demanding change.
This wave of PoJK protests echoes recent turmoil in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI leaders claim Pakistan Air Force jets bombed the Tirah Valley, killing several and unearthing at least 20 bodies from the debris. As tensions simmer, residents across these regions call for real solutions to their grievances.
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