Protests intensified in Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) for a seventh consecutive day, with thousands of people participating in sit-ins, rallies, and long marches organised by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
People across PoK gathered in Rawalakot and raised slogans against Pakistan’s military establishment and administration while also demanding greater political rights and regional autonomy.
JAAC urges government employees to resign
News18 reported that JAAC leader Khawaja Mehran directly criticised Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, and also urged local residents to stop working in government institutions and resign from their jobs in the military, police, and government departments.
“Kashmir is not your property,” Mehran addressed Munir in a speech where he insisted that they were willing to give their lives in support of the movement.
Mehran has described the campaign as a struggle for “absolute freedom” and asserted that the protests would not be withdrawn until the group’s demands were met.
Large number of women also attended the protests, participating in marches and sit-ins across Rawalakot. Visuals from the protest site also showed crowds carrying banners and raising slogans.
Organisers reported that fresh groups of people continued to arrive in Rawalakot, leading to a sizeable turnout.
The PoK government had banned the JAAC under the POJK Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014 after the group organised demonstrations against legislative seats reserved for refugees who migrated from India decades ago. The move led to massive protests across PoK, with the latest clashes in Rawalakot on Sunday claiming seven lives.
The Supreme Court of PoK had ruled that the 12 legislative seats reserved for the refugees were constitutionally protected and could not be abolished without a constitutional amendment. The JAAC argues that the reservation does not reflect the aspirations of local residents and calls for its abolishment.
Kashmiris in the United Kingdom also protested outside the Parliament against the crackdown by the Pakistani security forces in PoK.
