The cruel face of Pakistani Army has come to light in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Here the Pakistani Army fired indiscriminately on the protesters, in which more than 30 people died, while more than 200 people were reported injured. Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had called for a ‘long march’ in PoK today, June 9. JAAC is the largest civil rights organization in the region, which has been protesting for a long time on issues related to governance, subsidies and fundamental rights. However, Pakistan’s puppet government has now declared JAAC a ‘terrorist organisation’.
Why are there protests in PoK?
Under the leadership of Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, the people of PoK have been continuously protesting and agitating against the government for several months. The main reason for this movement is the second-class treatment given to the local population by the Pakistan government and its army. Residents allege that when Pakistan exploits the natural resources of the area, they get nothing in return except destruction and discrimination.
Rawalpindi has become the center of these protests. The agitation intensified after the administration initiated action against activists associated with JAAC. According to reports, the administration has banned JAAC and imposed several security measures ahead of the “long march” scheduled for June 9. Leaders associated with the movement allege that internet services were shut down in PoK since the night of June 5, causing massive disruption in the communication network.
Pakistan’s Shahbaz government and Army Chief Munir already knew that the situation in PoK could worsen. The puppet government had also issued a travel advisory, urging tourists and the general public to completely avoid traveling to PoK between June 5 and June 20. This is not the first time that JAAC has emerged as a major protest movement in PoK, demanding basic necessities like subsidized wheat and electricity for the people.
Although the Pakistani government had long made these promises to local residents, those promises were repeatedly not fulfilled. During the 2023 protests, Pakistani security forces and paramilitary forces fired tear gas, lathicharge and opened fire on protesters; Several people were killed and hundreds injured in the crackdown, while a large number of activists and political leaders were detained.