Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Gripped by Unrest as Authorities Crack Down on JAAC Protest Movement
Violent clashes between security forces and protesters in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) have left dozens dead and hundreds injured, following the government's decision to ban the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The JAAC, a grassroots movement founded in 2023, initially mobilized around demands for subsidized flour, affordable electricity, and governance reforms before expanding to include calls for abolishing 12 refugee-reserved seats in the regional legislature. The unrest has drawn condemnation from Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and over 30 British parliamentarians, raising questions about democratic space and political representation in the region.
Protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir escalated sharply after the regional government declared the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organization under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act on June 5, 2025, arresting scores of its leaders and activists. Violent clashes in Rawalakot and surrounding areas resulted in at least 11 deaths on the night of June 7, including four law enforcement personnel, with NDTV reporting a further 16 killed on Thursday when security forces opened fire on a large gathering at Eidgah Ground. Authorities deployed approximately 1,000 Rangers, Federal Constabulary, and police personnel and staged armored vehicle convoys, prompting JAAC protesters to disperse from three sit-in sites near Rawalakot by midnight Friday. The JAAC's core demands include abolishing 12 legislative seats reserved for refugees who migrated to mainland Pakistan after 1947, which critics argue give Islamabad disproportionate influence over regional governance, as well as reductions in electricity tariffs and compensation for families of those killed in protests. The PoJK Supreme Court ruled on June 7 that the refugee seats enjoy constitutional protection and cannot be abolished by executive action, while elections to the regional assembly have been scheduled for July 27 without resolving the issue. Internationally, more than 30 British MPs wrote to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper citing reports of communications blackouts and excessive force, and Amnesty International condemned the crackdown as a violation of fundamental human rights.
What's missing
The exact total death toll remains inconsistent across sources, ranging from 11 to over 30, with no independently verified consolidated figure. The current humanitarian situation for the approximately 15 people reported missing after the June 7 clashes has not been resolved in any source.
How coverage differed
NDTV's coverage emphasized the scale of casualties and framed the Pakistani military's actions in strongly critical terms, describing soldiers firing AK-47s on 'unarmed protesters' and highlighting slogans against Pakistani 'occupation.' Dawn, by contrast, presented the government's perspective more prominently, quoting officials describing protesters as having 'unconditionally surrendered' and framing the security response as restoring the 'writ of the state,' with less focus on civilian casualties.
What different sources said
- Times of IndiaCenter
Deadly clashes, JAAC crackdown and calls for reform: Why PoK is on the boil
- The HinduCenter
The revolt within: Why Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir is restless again
- NDTVCenter
2 Days After 30 Deaths, 16 Killed As Forces Open Fire On Protesters In PoK
- DawnCenter
JAAC protesters in AJK's Poonch district disperse on fears of major crackdown
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