Deadly Crackdown In PoK: Eight Protesters Killed Amid Worsening Violence And Unrest Across The Region

International News:  Ten civilians were killed on Wednesday after violent protests erupted for the third consecutive day in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Four people were killed in Dhirkot in Bagh district, two in Muzaffarabad, and two in Mirpur. Two more deaths were reported in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday. Over the past 72 hours, massive protests led by the Awami Action Committee have erupted in PoK over the issue of "violation of fundamental rights," with markets, shops, and local businesses completely shut down, and transport services paralyzed. This morning, protesters threw stones and large shipping containers that had been strategically placed on bridges to block their march toward Muzaffarabad were thrown into the river below.

PoK Protesters Demand Fundamental Rights

Videos showed dozens of protesters uniting and pushing him off a bridge. The protesters have 38 demands, including the abolition of 12 seats in the PoK Assembly reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan. Locals argue this weakens representative governance. AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir said, "Our campaign is for fundamental rights that have been denied to our people for 70 years. Either give them the rights or face the anger of the people."

Islamabad Deploys Troops Amid Unrest

Mir also warned Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's administration. He said the strike was "Plan A," a message that people's patience had run out and the authorities were now on alert. The AAC had additional plans and a harsh "Plan D." Islamabad responded to these protests with a show of force. According to the Pakistani news website Dawn, heavily armed patrols have conducted flag marches in towns in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and thousands of troops have been withdrawn from the neighboring Punjab province. Sources said 1,000 additional troops have been sent from the capital, Islamabad. The Pakistani government has also restricted internet access in the region.

30 civilians killed in Pak Air Force attacks

30 civilians killed in Pak Air Force strikes Chinese-made J-17 fighter jets dropped Chinese-made LS-6 laser-guided bombs on a village in the country's remote Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The deaths have sparked outrage among local communities, already concerned by a rise in terrorist attacks in recent years. The increase in terrorist activity in Khyber has also been attributed to banned groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed moving into the region to establish new bases following India's Operation Sindoor.