PoK On the Edge: Massive Protests Erupt Against Pakistan Army Amid Civilian Killings

Islamabad: Amid ongoing violence and protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has now called for the movement to be expanded across Pakistan. Sardar Aman Kashmiri, a core committee member of the organization, urged people across Pakistan to support the movement and raise their voices for their rights.

What did JAAC say?

Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) member Sardar Aman Kashmiri stated that this movement is not for any political agenda, but for the basic rights of the people. He stated that the right to vote, better healthcare, education, justice, and infrastructure are the necessities of every citizen. According to JAAC member, force is being continuously used to suppress the voices of the people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Meanwhile, Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri, another JAAC core committee member, claimed that at least 40 people had died in the past three days, while the death toll in the past 52-53 days had reached nearly 100. He alleged that Pakistani security forces had opened fire on peaceful protesters, injuring hundreds.

What about internet and mobile services in PoK?

JAAC also claimed that the communication restrictions have been imposed throughout the region. The shutdown of internet and mobile services makes it difficult to independently verify the situation. The organization alleged that there is a continuous crackdown on protesters, and in many areas, people are not even being allowed to express their views.

What about the protest?

Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri stated that the ongoing sit-in at D-Chowk in Islamabad has not yet ended. He explained that the long march has only been temporarily halted to allow the funerals of those killed and the treatment of the injured. He stated that the movement will resume on a larger scale after this.

However, the figures of the dead and injured released by the JAAC could not be independently verified. There has been no official response from Pakistan to these claims.