Tensions are boiling over in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as protesters clash with security forces in Muzaffarabad. A viral video from Neelum Valley Public Action Committee leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir has sparked outrage, with him blasting the government for cracking down on its own people.
In the video, Mir calls the government a “demon devouring its own children.” He accuses authorities of silencing voices by shutting down media, deploying forces, and even firing on crowds. “With our voices suppressed, what position are you really standing on?” Mir asks.
The anger exploded into violence in Muzaffarabad, PoJK’s capital, where Pakistani security forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators. These protesters, organized by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), were pushing for a Self-Rule Charter of Demands.
Over the past three days, the JKJAAC-led protests have claimed more than half a dozen lives and left several people seriously injured, sources say. What started as calm rallies has now spread to districts across PoJK, forcing shops, businesses, and transport to shut down in a show of widespread frustration with Islamabad’s handling of the crisis.
The trouble ramped up after the administration slapped an indefinite lockdown on the region last week. Huge crowds backed the JKJAAC’s 38-point charter, but the government hasn’t met key requests. Protesters want to scrap 12 reserved legislative seats for Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan, along with big economic fixes like cutting electricity bills, offering cheap wheat flour, and ditching perks for officials. They’re also calling for free education and healthcare for PoJK residents.
As rallies grew, officials cut internet access across PoJK to curb the spread. But that didn’t stop the momentum—protests turned heated, with fights breaking out between crowds and police in various spots.
Daily life in PoJK has ground to a halt. Markets stay closed, and demonstrators are pushing past blockades to reach Muzaffarabad, making the standoff even tenser. In Dudyal, Mirpur, the action committee says they won’t bury a fallen protester until demands are met, while security teams try to clear bridges and break up marches.
From Mirpur and Kotli to Muzaffarabad, the JKJAAC has rallied thousands in a rare display of unity. These demonstrations highlight deep anger over the government’s inaction on PoJK rights and reforms.
Rights activists, politicians, and leaders from the Kashmiri diaspora have slammed the crackdown as outright oppression by Pakistani authorities. They vow to keep supporting the people’s fight for change.
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