Muzaffarabad: Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has been shaken by violent protests and a widespread shutdown, leaving three dead and more than a dozen injured in clashes with security forces.
The unrest erupted amid growing public anger over the government’s failure to address demands put forth by the Joint Awami Action Committee.
The deceased has been identified as Sadheer Awan, son of M. Sulman, from Neelum. Among those injured in the firing were Mushtaaq Ahmed (son of Abdullah Khokher, Channri), Ibrar (son of Noor Hussain, Jalalabad), Aasher (son of Saleem), M. Zulfiqaar, Bisharat, Islam Allah, Ahmed, Anees Ur Rehman, Nadeem Abbasi, Mushtaq Ahmed, M. Ali, Anwaiz, M. Adeel, Nadeem Khan, Noor Hussain, Dilawer, and Abdul Shaqoor.
Speaking from Muzaffarabad, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, president of the JK Action Committee, directly accused state institutions of targeting protesters.
“At this moment, the state has come to kill the people. The institutions of the state, the government, the administration, the goons, the terrorists—we have the evidence. The police is with us,” he said.
“People are being killed, and our Pakistani media is spreading false news. Everything is happening here.”
The protests have spread to Mirpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad, with large crowds demanding their rights. Demonstrators accused authorities of ignoring their calls for justice, marking one of the most intense waves of public anger in recent years.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) unit in PoJK amplified the unrest online, blaming the Anwar-led government for “incompetence and repression.” PTI claimed that state-backed violence targeted protesters:
“Videos have emerged showing thugs of the Muslim (Criminal) Conference opening fire on peaceful demonstrators under state patronage, leaving four people seriously injured.”
Protests were also reported in Plandri, which PTI linked to broader dissatisfaction:
“The people of Plandri are up in arms, demanding basic rights and protesting against this incompetent Anwar government.”
In Dadyal, authorities were accused of causing humanitarian hardships by blocking the Plak Bridge, affecting patients and travelers:
“During the lockdown, it was announced that roads would remain open for patients and those traveling abroad, but the administration has worsened difficulties for them,” PTI said.
PTI reiterated accusations of violence by the rival Muslim Conference:
“Firing by the thugs of the Muslim (Criminal) Conference on unarmed civilians, under state protection, left four severely injured.”
The protests also reached Bhimber, Prime Minister Anwar Haq’s constituency:
“People in Bhimber took to the streets, raising strong slogans against the denial of their rights and the incompetent government.”
In Dadyal, the unrest escalated further, with thousands participating in a sit-in demanding their rights.
These demonstrations in PoJK echo earlier unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI leaders alleged that Pakistan Air Force jets conducted bombing operations in the Tirah Valley, reportedly leaving several dead, with at least 20 bodies recovered from the rubble.
